Csu&k0tc6'  t. 


/»**_ 

a&rr*- 


THE  FLEETWING  SERIES 


THE  ISLE  or  PALMS 


ADVENTURES   WHILE  WRECKING  FOR  GOLD,  ENCOUNTER 

WITH  A   MAD   WHALE,   BATTLE   WITH  A  DEVIL- 

FISH,   AND   CAPTURE   OF  A  MERMAID 


BY 


± 

G.  MF15 


JEWELL 

u 

AUTHOR  OF  "  KALANI  OF  OAHU,"  "  THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  FLEETWIINTG,"  ETC. 


There  are  Mermaids  in  grottoes  where  the  sea-flowers  twine, 
That  are  rare  in  their  beauty  as  the  angels  divine. 
Stealing  up  from  the  Ocean  they  will  frolic  most  free, 
When  the  moon  lies  sleeping  on  the  murmuring  sea. 


BOSTON : 

DEWOLFE,  FISKE  &  co 

1888. 


Copyright  by 

C  .    M  .    N  K  W  E  L  L , 

1888. 
All  Rights  reserved. 


Klrrlnilyiicd  and  j>rinli;l  lii 

TIIK  WKIUIIT  &  I'OTTKU  I'KIMIM.  «'«•. 


INSCRIBED  TO  ANNIE, 

SKift 


WHO  HAS  MADE  IT  POSSIBLE,  BY  HER  WATCHFUL  CARE,  FOR  ME  TO  STEAL 

AN  OCCASIONAL  HOUR  FROM  PROFESSIONAL  DUTIES  FOR  SUCH 

BECREATION  AS  THIS  VOLUME   DISCLOSES. 

THE  AUTHOR. 


iv£0<H76 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 
1 

'  8 
15 
23 

28 


I.  The  Night  Before  Sailing,     . 

II.  Sailing  of  the  Fleetwing,       .... 

III.  Dog-watch  Scenes,        .        .        .        .        . 

IV.  A  Tropic  Night, 

V.     Uncle  Joe's  Sermon, 

VI.     Scudding  in  a  Gale, 36 

VII.     Old  Ben  Buntline, . 46 

VIII.  The  "  Peqtiod's  "  Whale  Fight,     ....       53 

IX.     Battle  of  the  Sea-monsters, 62 

X.     Cruising  for  Mocha  Dick, 71 

XL     Death  of  the  Mad  Whale, 83 

XII.  The  Isle  of  Palms,         .        .         .         .        .         .102 

XIII.  The  Romantic  Burial, Ill 

XIV.  Tom  Discovers  a  Mermaid, 122 

XV.  Uncle  Joe  and  the  Angel,       .         .        .        .        .128 

XVI.     The  Mermaid,         .         .   - 142 

XVII.  The  Weird  New  Mystery,      .         .•       .         .         .154 

XVIII.     Greville  and  the  Water-girl, 162 

XIX.  A  Monstrous  Sea-beast,         .         .         .        .         .170 

XX.     Battle  with  the  Devil-fish, 185 

XXL     Entrapping  Sperm  Whales, 206 

XXII.  Caught  in  a  Typhoon,    .         .         ."                .         .226 

XXIII.     The  Spanish  Wreck, 249 


VI 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

XXIV.  Lassoing  the  Mermaid,                  .        .        .             2G3 

XXV.  Searching  for  Gold,       .        .        .        .        .        .     278 

XXVI.  A  Night  with  the  Mermaid,  .         ....     287 

XXVII.     Wrecking  for  Treasure, 307 

XXVIII.     Solving  the  Mystery, 394 

XXIX.     Capturing  the  Mermaid, 337 

XXX.  Homeward  Bound,         .         .        .        .        .        .     SQQ 

XXXI.     The  Lady  Passenger, 384 

XXXII.  A  Night  of  Danger,       .         .         .                 .        .393 

XXXIII.  Attacked  by  Pirates, 408 

XXXIV.  Anchored  in  Hong  Kong, 425 

XXXV.  Love  at  First  Sight,      .                                            ,439 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


THE   ALBATROSS   AND   HIS    MATES, 
WHALE   TURNING   FLUKES,. 
THE   STOVEN   BOAT,      . 


PAGE 

.    by  Fred.  Webster      14 

.    by  Fred.  Webster      90 

by  Conant      94 


MOCHA   DICK   BREACHING    ON    THE    SHIP,    by  Marshal  JoknSOU  101 

SHIP  ENTERING  THE  ISLE  OF  PALMS,       by  Marshal  Johnson  108 

BATTLE  WITH  THE  DEVIL-FISH,          .       by  Marshal  Johnson  201 

MORETE  ON  THE  MOONLIT  SHORE,  .       by  Conant  335 


THE  BEAUTIFUL  ISLAND. 


There's  an  Isle  I  love  in  the  Southland  seas, 
Where  the  palm  waves  tall  in  the  trade-wind  breeze; 
Where  the  now'ring  vines  leap  aloft,  on  high, 
Like  appealing  hands  reaching  up  to  the  sky. 

There,  the  Sabbath-bells  are  the  golden  fruit, 
As  dumb  in  their  chimes  as  the  silent  lute; 
There,  the  orange  blossoms  their  stars  unfold, 
And  the  jasmine  gleams  with  its  stars  of  gold. 

E'en  the  sea  below,  —  in  its  coral  caves, — 
Has  its  Mermaids  fair  in  the  azure  waves; 
They  sing  on  the  shore  to  the  summer  moon, 
With  the  voice  of  a  lute  in  its  sweetest  tune. 

Tis  an  Isle  of  beauty!      Spirits  guard  the  place, 
And  the  wing-breeze  of  spirits  fan  the  face! 
There  the  sea-worn  mariner,  —  bowed  with  care, — 
Finds  an  ear-divine  to  receive  his  pray'r. 


THE  ISLE  OF  PALMS. 


CHAPTER    I. 

THE    NIGHT    BEFORE    SAILING. 

THE  appointed  day  of  sailing  was  approaching. 
With  early  dawn  the  clipper-ship  ' '  Fleet- 
wing"  would  sail  under  new  auspices, — with  a 
new  captain  and  chief  officers,  —  seeking  for  sperm 
whales  among  the  coral  islands  along  the  Equator. 
Recruiting  at  Hong  Kong  in  the  spring,  thence  to 
the  Ochotsk  Sea,  where  she  would  cruise  for  "  bow- 
heads"  off  the  Amoor  River — the  dangerous  cruis- 
ing-ground  which  she  was  built  to  encounter. 

During  the  evening  a  grand  ball  had  been  given 
on  board  by  the  officers,  to  their  shore  friends  and 
the  officers  of  the  fleet.  It  was  a  joyous  occasion, 
and  would  long  be  remembered  by  the  residents  of 
Honolulu  :  an  affair  made  lively  with  hornpipes  and 
Scotch  reels,  and  perhaps  a  trifle  too  hilarious  with 
sea-songs,  made  boisterous  by  the  rivers  of  cham 
pagne  which  enlivened  the  occasion. 

Captain  Lawrence  had  been  entertained  ashore  at 
a  sumptuous  dinner  given  by  the  Talberts,  — his  old 


'2*  TIIK    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

captain  and  wife,  —  at  which  were  the  chief  merchants 
of  the  place  and  their  wives,  together  with  the  cap 
tains  of  the  several  vessels  in  the  harbor.  But 
dinner  and  dance,  like  all  things  else,  had  at  length 
come  to  an  end,  and  the  people  of  ship  and  shore 
had  long  since  embarked  for  the  land  of  dreams. 

A  low-lying  western  moon  was  now  casting  its 
subdued  light  over  the  embowered  hamlets  of  Hono 
lulu.  Grim  shadows  were  seen  stalking  forth  over 
the  slumbering  land,  wherever  a  breadfruit,  a  palm, 
or  an  algaroba  tree  intercepted  the  farewell  beams 
of  the  departing  orb.  Even  afloat,  the  shadow-masts 
of  the  vessels  in  the  harbor  interlaced  the  unruffled 
water-space  between  ships  and  shore  in  dark,  dismal 
lines,  black  as  prison  bars.  The  towering  battle 
ments  of  Punch  Bowl  cast  down  an  ominous  gloom 
over  the  much-loved  valley  of  Manoa. 

The  sleeping  town  lay  hushed  in  a  silence  that 
would  have  been  oppressive  but  for  the  ever-chang 
ing  monotony  of  the  surf,  breaking  on  the  great 
barrier-reef,  together  with  the  indistinct  murmur 
among  the  long  fronds  of  the  palms,  and  the  distant 
clang  of  the  waterfalls,  heard  far  up  the  Xuuanu. 

Even  the  singing  lizards  had  long  since  ceased 
their  pleasing  nocturns,  and  were  now  hiding  from 
the  coming  day  in  the  long  feathery  foliage  of  the 
algaroba  and  the  fruit-bearing  papaya  trees ;  not 
even  the  baying  of  a  dog  could  be  distinguished  of 
all  the  countless  thousands  of  yelping  curs  that 
peopled  the  town.  The  mystic  charm  of  the  slum- 


THE    SLEEPING    TOWN.  O 

berous  moonbeam  had  lulled  every  breathing  creature 
to  sleep. 

The  land-wind  from  the  mountains  had  just 
awakened.  An  hour  since,  the  hu?f-slumbering 
baby-airs  began  to  steal  timidly  out  from  the  cool 
side  ravines,  odorous  with  sandal-wood  and  other 
aromatic  shrubs  ;  debouching  into  the  Nuuanu,  they 
blended  with  the  rare  fragrance  distilled  from  ripened 
fruits  and  sweet-scented  flowers  ;  together  they  were 
lading  the  full-fledged  wind  as  it  meandered,  bird- 
like,  down  the  beautiful  valley  to  the  sea.  Waolani, 
and  the  whole  line  of  other  mountain-tops,  still  lay 
shrouded  in  darkness. 

It  was  perhaps  an  hour  before  dawn,  when  the  tall 
gaunt  figure  of  a  decrepit  man  Avas  seen  hobbling 
into  the  enclosure  where  stood  the  astronomical  ob 
servatory  of  Honolulu.  The  limping  figure  passed 
directly  across  the  grass-plot,  toward  the  wide 
covered  veranda  of  a  low-roofed  cottage  ;  purposely 
avoiding  the  winding  paths,  and  keeping  in  the 
direction  of  an  open  door  where  Captain  Lawrence 
was  sleeping.  This  strange  apparition,  coming  at 
such  an  hour,  and  whose  movements  were  like  those 
of  an  assassin  stealing  upon  his  victim,  might  easily 
lead  one  to  think  he  was  bent  on  evil. 

Such  was  the  belief  of  the  astronomer,  who  was  a 
timid  man,  and  who  now  sat  trembling  with  appre 
hension  in  his  tower  above,  neglecting  to  complete 
his  lunar  distance,  though  Venus  wa^  travelling  in 
such  tempting  proximity  to  the  low-lying  moon. 


4  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

Turning  an  instant  in  search  of  some  weapon  of 
defence,  the  alarmed  astronomer  looked  again,  and 
behold,  the  ungainly  object  had  disappeared  as  if 
swallowed  up  by  the  darkness.  Hearing  some  un 
timely  noise  in  the  tower,  the  strange  creature  had 
stopped  in  the  dark  shadow  of  the  observatory, 
where  he  tarried  with  superstitious  alarm,  seeking 
to  investigate  the  groans  which  he  had  heard  from 
the  upper  air. 

Just  then  Captain  Lawrence  sprang  from  his  bed 
and  came  out  on  the  veranda  in  his  night-clothes  to 
observe  the  weather.  He  had  been  awakened  by  a 
nightmare,  —  dreaming  that  a  huge  black  giant  was 
standing  over  him,  pointing  dictatorially  to  the 
south,  and  bidding  him,  in  a  ghostly  stage-whisper, 
44 Begone  I" 

44  Look  out  there,  Captain  !  the  villain  is  close 
around  somewhere,"  cried  out  the  badly  alarmed 
astronomer,  greatly  relieved  to  have  a  man  of  known 
courage  come  upon  the  scene. 

4 *  Well,  Cap'n  !  "  exclaimed  another  high-keyed 
voice  from  out  the  dark  shadow,  '*  de  ship  am  gittin' 
under-weigh,  an'  dis  chile  am  cum  shore  arter  yo', 
sah." 

44  Hallo  !  Flitner,  what  are  you  doing  up  there 
this  time  o'  night? — Hallo  !  Uncle  Joe,  is  that  you? 
Why,  it  must  have  been  your  black  ghost  that  just 
waked  me  up." 

"  P'haps  so,  sah.'' 

44  That  black  rascal   has    fright rm-d    me    terribly, 


THE    BLACK    GHOST. 

Captain  Lawrence.     I  thought  he    was  bent    upon 
murderous  mischief." 

"No  harm  in  him,  Flitner.  He  is  my  third  mate. 
Stir  your  stumps,  and  get  my  chronometer  ready  in 
five  minutes.  Mr.  Bailey,  come  in  here,  and  take  a 
seat,  while  I  dress  and  pack  my  valise." 

"All  rite,  Cap'n.  Dis  chile  drenie  sorry  ter 
froughten  dat  measly  ole  feller  up  dar  in  de  cross- 
trees." 

"  Never  mind  him,  Uncle  Joe.  Tell  me  quickly, 
what  other  message  have  you  got  for  my  private 
ear?"  he  asked,  as  the  veteran  whaleman  limped  up 
to  the  veranda  and  took  the  proffered  seat. 

"  De  bressed  Lawd  arn  bin  wid  us  ter-nite,  Cap'n. 
De  A'mighty  hand  bin  p'int  Joe  Bailey  de  road  ter 
glory.  I's  bin  seed  Mocha  Dick,  Cap'n,  way  down 
to'ard  Nantucket,  and  de  Pelews,  whar  dis  niggar 
bin  hab  dat  fust  battle  wid  dat  wicked  debbil." 

"  Sure  about  its  being  Mocha  Dick?" 

"  Sartin'  sure  'bout  dat,  sah." 

"  Was  he  alone,  or  with  a  school,  when  you  saw 

him?" 

"In  ar  big  skule  ob  cows  an'  calves,  Cap'n. 
Fust  time  I's  seed  'im  off  New-Tucket,  ar  headin' 
down  de  Line  to'ard  de  King  Mills,  sah.  Him  jes 
bin  kill  sum  mo'  ob  de  Lawd's  chilun." 

"  Well,  Uncle  Joe,  we  will  be  after  him  as  soon 
as  the  wind  sets  in." 

"  De  wind  am  pipin'  up  now,  sah. 7 

"Is  it?     Then   I  will   dress   quickly.     You  may 


0  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

take    my  valise   down    to    the   boat,    and    wait    for 
me." 

"  Don't  go  off  without  your  chronometer,"  hailed 
down  the  astronomer. 

"  O  no.  Bring  it  out  and  have  it  ready  for  me, 
Flitner." 

"All  right.  Say,  Lawrence,  I  think  there  is 
some  good  luck  in  store  for  your  Fleetwing." 

"  Why  so,  old  man?" 

"  The  moon  has  got  stuck  on  your  ship's  weather- 
vane  at  the  royal  truck,  and  hinders  my  taking  an 
altitude." 

"  Is  that  so?     I  hope  it  may  prove  a  good  omen." 

"  T'ank  de  Lawd  fur  dat  ar  moon,  sah.  We  uns 
am  on  de  road  ter  glory,  Cap'n.  Dat's  de  same 
sign  what  de  A'mighty  p'int  out  ter  dis  yere  niggar 
las'  nite.  Dat  feller  in  de  moon  wuz  jes  sot  a-strad- 
dle  ob  de  r'yal  truck,  in  my  wision,  sah."  And  the 
pious  old  man  turned  his  one  lone  eye  to  heaven  full 
of  childish,  effusive  thankfulness  for  this  singular 
confirmation  of  his  prophecy. 

It  was  truly  said  of  Joe  Bailey,  that  the  only 
negro  about  him  was  "the  hide  and  wool."  A 
black  skin  without,  and  a  white  soul  within.  Fifty 
years  of  rough  ocean-life  had  furrowed  the  old  man's 
brow,  and  hideously  corrugated  his  thin  visage. 
Yet  this  weather-worn  aspect  had  served  to  impart  a 
look  of  rough-hewn  wisdom  to  his  saintly  old  face, 
which  all  would  trust  who  knew  him. 

Thus  Uncle  Joe's  present  prophecy,  disclosing  the 


UNCLE    JOE'S    PROPHECY.  7 

whereabouts  of  the  mad-monster  that  once  injured 
him,  would  be  received  with  implicit  belief.  Old  as 
he  was,  Joe  Bailey  was  still  fishy  to  the  back-bone ; 
and  as  eager  to  seek  out  and  tackle  the  fighting 
whale  as  when  he  fought  his  world-famed  battle  with 
him  forty  years  before. 

In  that  dreadful  encounter  the  old  whaleman  lost 
his  left  eye,  had  both  legs  and  an  arm  broken,  and 
was  picked  up  for  dead,  and  taken  aboard  for  burial. 
His  being  saved  so  miraculously  seemed  to  be  for 
some  good  purpose,  and  the  event  had  been  a  sub 
ject  of  prayer  with  him  ever  since.  Nightly  the 
pious  old  man  prayed  to  the  heavenly  Father  that 
his  life  might  be  spared  for  the  final  battle.  Old  as 
he  was,  when  about  to  sail  in  the  Fleetwing,  Joe 
Bailey  never  for  a  moment  doubted  God's  oft  re 
peated  promise,  that  in  due  time,  the  Christian 
whaleman  and  Mad  Dick  should  be  pitted  in  the 
arena  of  Death. 

As  soon  as  Captain  Lawrence  could  dress,  and 
bid  his  friends  at  the  cottage  good-by,  he  caught  up 
his  chronometer,  that  Mr.  Flitner  was  waiting  to 
deliver,  and  hastened  down  to  the  wharf.  Uncle 
Joe  had  got  the  boat  at  the  wharf-end,  and  the  crew 
in  position,  ready  for  an  immediate  start.  The  cap 
tain  took  occasion  to  privately  admonish  Mr.  Bailey 
not  to  disclose  to  any  one  on  board  that  the  ship 
was  going  on  a  cruise  for  the  "  Demon  Whale,"  lest 
such  knowledge  should  demoralize  some  of  the  crew. 


CHAPTER    II. 

SAILING    OF    THE    FLEET WIXG. 

THE  day  of  sailing  broke  bright  and  beautiful 
over  the  enchanting  island  of  Oahu.  The  cool 
crisp  land-wind  was  beginning  to  strengthen  when 
Captain  Lawrence  reached  the  shore.  He  had  left 
directions  the  night  previous  for  the  mate  to  have 
the  Flcetwing  ready  for  sailing  at  the  earliest  dawn. 
The  ship  was  now  found  moored  by  a  bow-tjut  to  the 
Fort  Point  buoy  ;  the  mate  having  taken  the  anchor, 
warped  out  to  the  outer  limits  of  the  harbor,  and 
there  made  sail  before  the  morning  wind  set  down 
the  valley. 

AVhile  the  crew  were  pulling  the  captain  out  to 
the  ship,  his  numerous  shore-friends  began  to  gather 
.about  the  wharves,  shouting  their  last  friendly  mes 
sages,  tipped  off  with  Aloha!  as  he  passed.  The 
boat  reached  the  Fleetwing  before  the  pilot  arrived, 
and  found  the  dainty  craft  tugging  away  at  her  fast 
in  the  increasing  breeze,  impatient  to  be  «rone. 

Captain  and  Mrs.  Talbert  came  aboard  in  a  shore 
boat,  intending  to  sail  out  in  the  ship  as  far  as  the  pilot 


went,  being  reluctant  to  part  with  their  favorite  ves 
sel  and  their  youn^  protege,  her  much-loved  com 
mander.  At  length  the  Mull'  English  face  of  Captain 

Meek  —  the  pilot  —  w  is  discovered  forcing  his  :vay 
among  the  noisy  swarm  of  Kanaka  boats.  Instantly 
the  mate's  resounding  voice  was  heard  mustering  the, 

*>  ^ 

crew  to  their  stations,  ready  to  trim  the  yards  the 
moment  the  shore-fast  was  let  go. 

When  the  pilot  climbed  aboard,  and  found  all  in 
readiness  for  spiling,  l.e  promptly  passed  forward 
his  orders  to  the  mate  : 

44  Man  the  helm!  Cast  oil'  t'ie  hawser,  and  trim 
the  yards!" 

"Ashore,  there  !  let  go  that  hawser.  1  laul  aboard  ! 
and  coil  Jiway,"  responded  .Bray brook,  us  he  set 
every  pair  of  hands  at  work. 

When  the  ship  was  loosed  from  her  bow-fast  and 
had  swung  to  her  course,  amidst  the  deafening  cheers 
from  the  crowd  on  the  wharf,  then  the,  lirst  rosy  flush 
of  dawn-light  was  seen  crowning  the  mountains. 
It  was  a  welcome  harbinger  to  the,  superstitious 
seamen,  when  thus  cutting  adrift  from  shore-friends, 
and  about  to  wander  forth  upon  the  pathless  waters 
in  search  of  new  adventures. 

Captain  Lawrence  and  his  Honolulu  friends  were 
grouped  cosily  about  the  tailrail,  looking  back  with 
delight  at  the  scene  of  tropical  beauty  now  opening 
before,  them.  Beyond  the  busy  harbor  and  the 
thronged  wharves  arose  objects  of  beauty  and  sub 
limity  never  to  be  forgotten. 


10  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

Haloed  with  the  crimson  dawn,  the  long  line  of 
distant  mountain-tops  seemed  to  invite  the  beholder 
to  explore  the  Elysium  beyond.  The  frowning 
Punch  Bowl  —  an  extinct  volcano  —  flung  down  his 

o 

grim  shadow  over  the  newly-awakened  town,  like 
the  black  battle-targe  of  some  mediaeval  warrior. 

See  the  ever-green  valley  of  Nuuanu,  receding 
from  the  enraptured  eye  into  dim  perspective  among 
the  far  wooded  hills  ;  see  it  diminish  gracefully  up 
ward  from  the  blue  marge  of  the  sea  to  the  1)1  ue 
gateway  in  the  eastern  sky,  where  the  historic  Pali 
—  the  sad  Thermopylae  of  the  isles  —  towers  above 
the  ever-flowering  meads  of  Koolau. 

Behold  there  the  sanctuary  of  a  nation  !  A  rock- 
built  temple  filled  with  the  holiest  memories  of  a 
once  brave  people  —  a  people  now  sacrificed  to  the 
bane  of  civilization.  There  in  yon  blue  gateway 
fell  sweet  Liberty  and  Love.  Kalani  and  his  god- 
given  queen  died  there  in  each  other's  arms,  on  the 
great  battle-field  of  the  nation.  A  scene  so  pathetic, 
that  even  the  Giant  victor  wept  over  his  conquest, 
and  would  that  it  were  not  so. 

With  a  bound  of  delight  the  sweet-scented  wind 
now  came  hastening  over  the  sea,  filling  the  sails  of 
the  departing  ship,  and  sending  her  rejoicing  on  her 
way.  The  steel-gray  waters  of  the  harbor  grew 
black,  as  with  shadow,  over  all  its  glassy  surface, 
and  soon  rimplcd  into  mimic  waves  thai  tinkled  with 
childish  lauirhter,  as  billow  and  breeze  ran  frolicking 

o 

by  the  Fleetwing's  side. 


NUUANU    VALLEY.  11 

Most  grateful,  even  to  these  hardy  sea-goers,  was 
the  delicious  aroma  of  this  enchanting  land-wind  as 
it  came  loitering  down  the  Nuuanu,  revelling  among 
fruit-laden  groves,  and  gardens  of  ever-blossoming 
flowers,  stealing  their  choicest  fragrance  to  dispense 
to  these  sea-wanderers  with  a  lavish  hand. 

Fifteen  minutes  sufficed  for  the  Fleetwing  to  run 
out  of  the  harbor.  Luffing  out  to  the  eastward  of 
the  "  Middle  Ground."  the  ship  was  brought  to  the 
wind  and  hauled  aback  long  enough  to  let  the  shore 
people  disembark.  When  once  clear  of  the  pilot's, 
and  other  shore  boats,  the  yards  were  braced  for 
ward,  the  courses  let  fall,  and  tacks  and  sheets  were 
boarded  with  song  and  chorus. 

The  ship  was  now  put  upon  a  course  along  the 
land  to  the  east.  Keeping  just  outside  of  the  great 
rollers  that  floundered  noisily  on  the  coral  reef  — 
where  it  ran  parallel  to  the  shore  —  the  Fleetwing 
soon  began  to  show  her  best  paces  in  the  fast  fresh 
ening  wind. 

The  morning  sun  was  just  bursting  over  the  gold- 
rimmed  mountains,  illuminating  everything  between 
ship  and  shore  as  with  a  hand  of  fire.  The  sun's 
strong  beams  reddened  the  foam  on  the  crest  of  the 
combers  to  the  color  of  blood. 

When  first  these  vast  upheavals  curved  upward  in 
thin  blue  crests — just  before  breaking  into  foam  — 
then  the  sunlight  shone  through  the  azure  veil  in 
rainbow  hues,  coloring  the  dark  back  of  the  breakers 
as  with  the  gore  of  battle.  But  when  the  great 


12  TIIK     ISLK    OF    PALAIS. 

combers  rose  to  their  utmost  stretch  of  grandeur, 
and  broke,  crumbling  with  a  voice  of  thunder  into 
flying  froth  and  foam*,  then  the  very  air  was  filled 
with  floating  bubbles  of  purple  and  green  and  gold  ; 
winged  creatures  that  invaded  the  ship  like  an  army 
of  butterflies. 

While  the  ship  was  running  past  the  cocoa-nut 
grove  of  "Waikiki,  the  long  waving  fronds  of  the 
trees  were  seen  glinted  with  silver.  The  nude  chil 
dren  were  sporting  in  the  bay,  frolicsome  as  por 
poises.  Sheltered  by  the  trees,  the  smooth  space 
of  water  between  surf  and  shore  was  a  steel-gray 
color,  shining  bright  as  a  mirror.  In  this  windless 
water  were  reflected  the  dark  mountain  peaks,  the 
waving  tops  of  the  palms,  and  the  few  ghostly-white 
clouds  seen  breaking  away  from  the  upper  valleys 
at  this  first  warm  touch  of  the  sun. 

Looking  away  in  the  offing,  the  eye  found  relief 
from  the  strong  glare  of  the  tropic  sun.  The  blue 
sea  and  the  indigo  sky  at  the  south  were  so  kindred 
in  hue,  that  only  by  the  faintest  film  of  silver 
mist  could  one  define  the  ocean's  rim.  The  ship 
kept  the  land  aboard  until  she  passed  Diamond 
Head,  and  then  steered  away  for  the  south  point  of 
Hawaii. 

The  day  continued  clear  and  breezy.  The  sea 
was  brilliant  with  brisk  blue  waves,  crested  with 
creamv  snow-tops  that  glistened  like  diamonds  in 
the  sun.  The  broad  arch  above  was  becoming  fes 
tooned  with  a  white  radiance  of  fleecy  clouds,  made 


THE    SPIRIT    SAIL.  13 

lovely  by  the   delicious   blue  vistas  seen   here  and 
there  in  the  infrequent  rifts. 

Dressed  in  her  daintiest  bits  of  finery,  the  Fleet- 
wing  was  curvetting  as  if  she  felt  the  importance  of 
her  first  day  at  sea.  The  jaunty  little  skysail  made 
one  laugh  to  see  it  pull,  —  like  an  urchin  with 
daddy's  hat  on.  The  baby-sail  tugged  away  at  its 
sheets  as  if  trying  to  do  the  work  of  a  topsail. 

After  passing  Koko  Point,  the  ship  took  the  trade- 
wind  strong,  coming  down  between  the  islands  of 
Molokai  and  Oahu ;  then  her  course  was  shaped  to 
go  well  south  of  Ranai.  The  sharply  braced  yards 
now  had  to  be  checked  in  sufficient  to  resist  the 
strain  of  the  fast  freshening  wind.  The  bows  be 
came  A\7et  with  spoondrift  and  girdled  with  rain 
bows,  while  the  ship's  quarter  Avas  smothered  in 
sparkling  foam,  where  the  great  blue  waves  tumbled 
home  under  the  counter,  beating  themselves  madly 
against  the  shining  copper  beneath. 

Standing  in  the  lee-waist  and  looking  aloft,  the 
great  pyramids  of  canvas  leaned  dangerously  out 
over  the  frothy  sea,  like  so  many  towers  of  Pisa, 
while  the  swift  ship  bowled  along  the  trades  without 
a  wrinkle  in  the  superb  contour  of  her  full-drawing 
sails.  The  swell  of  the  bellying  jibs  was  like  carved 
ivory,  as  they  bowsed  lustily  at  their  slackened 
sheets,  without  making  the  slightest  motion  in  their 
snowy  curves.  While  the  tiny  jib-topsail  seemed 
like  a  spirit  sail,  vaulting  so  far  ahead,  and  hung  so 
high  in  the  air ;  its  curves  of  leech  and  luff,  and  the 


14  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

proud  arch  of  the  foot  — with  the  sheet  eased  off- 
were   verily   patterned    from  the   wing   of  a    bird. 
Perhaps  from  the  great  white  albatross  which  kept 
it  company  by  the  hour,  conversing  with  the  spirit 
sail  as  if  it  were  truly  one  of  its  own  feathered  kin. 

Though  the  wind  was  beaft  the  beam,  it  increased 
so  muchtoward  night  that  the  skysail  and  jib-topsail 
had  to  be  furled.  A  sudden  swell  now  came  heaving 
in  from  the  south,  which  fretted  the  mettlesome  jade 
till  she  champed  her  bits  and  pranced  about  like  a 
war-horse  in  the  presence  of  battle. 

The  colliding  seas  at  length  dashed  so  hard  against 
the  weather  bow,  aided  by  the  south  swell,  that  a 
mighty  cloud  of  spume  invaded  the  forecastle,  which 
appeared  more  like  smoke  than  spoondrift.  It  was 
a  pretty  delusion,  yet,  aided  by  the  sunlight,  one 
could  easily  detect  the  glitter  of  the  spray,  which 
determined  that  it  was  not  the  kind  of  smoke  one 
took  it  for. 


CHAPTER  III. 

DOG-WATCH  SCENES. 

IT  had  been  agreed  between  the  captain  and  officers 
that  the  boats'  crew,  as  well  as  the  sea-watches, 
should  continue  as  they  were  on  the  previous  voy 
age.  Thus,  after  supper,  during  the  dog-watches, 
the  people  of  the  ship  were  grouped  about  their 
several  parts  of  the  deck,  enjoying  themselves  each 
according  to  his  mental  bent  or  personal  characteris 
tics. 

On  the  quarter  deck,  Captain  Lawrence  and  Dr. 
Greville  were  seated  by  the  taffrail,  in  earnest  talk 
about  the  adventures  of  the  latter  since  they  parted 
at  the  Azores,  where  the  doctor  was  left  by  the 
Fleetwing  on  her  previous  voyage,  seeking  health 
at  the  sulphur  springs  of  St.  Michael. 

Braybrook  and  Morey  — the  mate  and  second 
mate  —  had  mounted  to  the  cabin-deck,  where  they 
were  walking  and  smoking,  judiciously  laying  out 
some  important  ship-work  in  the  topmost  rigging  for 
the  coming  day. 

Mr.  Bailey  "and   Antoine  — the    third  and  fourth 

[15] 


16  TIIK    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

officers  —  were  lounging  on  the  booby-hatch,  smok 
ing  and  yarning.  Uncle  Joe  was  relating  his  rem 
iniscences  of  Honolulu  fifty  years  before,  when  the 
Giant  King  had  just  come  into  possession  of  the 
group,  which  had  been  a  matter  of  contention  for 
centuries.  The  harbor  had  been  in  use  but  a  few 
years  at  that  time,  having  been  made  known  and 
surveyed  by  one  of  the  North  West  traders.  It  had 
now  become  the  most  frequented  whaling  mart  of 
the  world. 

The  forecastle  men  were  gathered  into  three  char 
acteristic  groups.  The  fore-hatch,  and  front  of  the 
try  works,  were  occupied  by  eight  Portuguese,  all 
talking  vociferously  in  their  native  tongue,  arguing 
the  rights  and  wrongs  of  the  late  Dom  Miguil  war 
in  Portugal. 

O 

Sitting  about  on  the  knight-heads,  and  upon  the 
bowsprit-bits,  were  Tom  Crawford,  venerable  old 
Printline,  Nantucket  Jim,  and  several  other  able 
seamen,  together  with  a  number  of  the  best  young 
boys,  who  had  been  previously  adopted  by  the  vet 
erans.  These  few  superior  men  were  the  grandees 
of  the  Fleetwing,  and  constituted  the  House  of  Lords 
in  the  forecastle. 

The  second  in  authority  of  the  forecastle  men 
were  lounging  on  the  starboard  windlass-end,  and 
sprawled  about  the  newly-washed  deck;  smoking, 
gaining,  and  swearing,  being  greatly  the  worse  f<»r 
liquor  —  not  having  fully  gotten  over  the  last  night's 
danrinir  and  drinkimr  bout. 


TTIE    SEA    LAWYER.  17 

The  chief  man  of  this  inferior  group — the  Speaker 
of  the  lower  house  —  was  burly  Bill  Brown,  better 
known  as  English  Bill;  surnaraed  the  "Sea  Law 
yer,"  the  "  Sore  Head,"  —  a  desperately  quarrelsome 
fellow.  Wishing  to  make  a  good  shosv  of  his  social 
power,  Brown's  oligarchy  included  several  negro 
sailors  among  his  followers,  some  of  whom  were 
good  minstrel  singers.  The  numerous  black-eyes 
seen  among  these  swaggering  commoners  —  some 
of  which  yet  had  a  pork-rind  over  one  of  their  bin 
nacle  lights  —  implied  that  a  strong  hand  would  be 
required,  both  fore-and-aft,  to  keep  these  brawny 
bruisers  in  subjection  while  in  harbor,  and  just  after 
leaving  port. 

These  roistering  fellows  were  now  singing  a 
whaling  song,  and  Bill  was  endeavoring  to  compel 
every  man  —  drunk  or  sober  —  to  join  in  the 
chorus,  which  ran  thus  :  — 

"  So  be  eheery,  me  lads, 
Let  yer  1earts  never  fail, 

While  the  bold  'arponier 
Am  strikin'  ther  whale.  " 

"  Hello  !  there,  Corvo,  give  us  'nother  swig  at  thet 
bottle,"  said  Bill,  hailing  the  newly-shipped  Portu 
guese,  among  the  fore-hatch  group  of  third-rate  men. 

Long  Tom's  group  of  lordly  nabobs  aspired  to  be 
a  touch  above  the  vulgar  growling  gang  of  Brown's 
inebriates,  and  would  only  sing  sentimental  ditties  ; 
and  these  were  often  improvised  to  suit  the  occasion 


THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

and  the  hour.  With  laudable  condescension,  Craw 
ford  sometimes  suffered  the  black  orchestra  —  the 
ebony  cook  and  molasses-colored  steward  —  to  sit 
in  the  adjoining  galley  with  fiddle  and  tambourine, 
and  join  in  his  refined  musicale. 

"Come,  Cook,  heave  ahead  wid  yer  fiddle  an' 
banjo.  We  uns  am  goin'  ter  pipe  up  'bout  the 
shore-gals.  Me  ole  heart  has  got  ar  list  a-port,  to 
night,  after  our  long  *  liberty '  'mong  ther  pretty 
Kanakas." 

"  All  rite,  Tom.  De  steward  am  jus'  cumin'  for- 
'ard  wid  his  banjo." 

Presently  Tom  struck  up  with  an  original  song, 
singing  in  his  hoarse,  bassoon  voice,  loud  enough  to 
awake  the  dead.  Tucket,  and  two  other  noble  fel 
lows,  joined  lustily  in  the  quartette.  Jim  had  a  rare 
tenor  voice  that  was  greatly  enjoyed  by  all,  and  he 
was  the  acknowledged  Dibden  of  the  ship.  The 
song  was  rendered  in  these  select  words  :  — 

"  There  be  gals  as  pink  as  ther  shells  o'  ther  sea, 

There  be  gals  as  plump  as  er  duff; 
Whatever  ther  sheer  of  her  ship  may  be, 
All  ther  gals  am  lovin'  enough. 
So  yer  see,  jolly  tars, 
You  must  trim  up  yer  spars, 
And  be  loved  in  each  port  by  some  She-e ! 
And  be  loved  while  in  port  by  some  She  ! " 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  the  capacity  of  a  sailor's 
heart —just  from  port — is  equal  to  loving  a  whole 
world  of  petticoats,  including  the  pretty  Kanaka 


A    FREE    FIGHT. 


19 


girls,  who  in  those  days  were  often  too  unconven 
tional  to  wear  a  rig  of  the  petticoat  sort. 

Unfortunately,  Tom's  extemporaneous  song  was 
suddenly  cut  short  by  a  row  about  the  fore-hatch. 
Corvo,  the  newly-shipped  Portuguese,  had  been  pass 
ing  his  rum-bottle  about  too  freely  —  a  vile  liquor 
which  he  had  smuggled  aboard  against  the  rules  — 
and  English  Bill  had  now  created  a  quarrel  about  the 
last  tipple  at  the  bottle. 

Crawford  at  once  assumed  responsibility  for  keep 
ing  the  peace  —  as  upon  the  previous  voyage.  Step 
ping  nimbly  down  over  the  windlass,  Tom  approached 
the  two  lusty  antagonists,  who  were  delivering  rapid 
blows  without  order  of  precedence,  and  flung  them 
rudely  apart,  till  they  staggered  against  the  bulwarks 
on  opposite  sides  of  the  deck. 

"  Go  sot  down,  you  Bill.  Duz  yer  wanter  make 
this  'ere  drunken  Gee  think  we  uns  am  quarrelsome, 
'board  o'  here  ?  " 

"It's  ar  fair  light  we  uns  wuz  'aving,  Tom.  So 
jes  mind  yer  bis'ness."  And  Brown  rushed  franti 
cally  to  the  front  again,  where  the  infuriated  Corvo 
was  ready  to  encounter  him. 

With  the  grip  of  a  lion  Crawford  seized  each 
combatant  by  the  nape  of  the  neck  and  tore  them 
apart,  just  as  they  were  fairly  clenched  into  each 
other's  hair.  The  fur  flew  as  if  it  were  a  cat  fight, 
for  both  men  held  fast  to  their  tonsorial  grip,  and 
protested  with  most  disparaging  oaths,  of  as  oppo 
site  linguistics  as  the  cat's  and  the  parrot's  might  be. 


TIIK     ISIJ-:    OF     I'AL.MS. 


"What  am  yer  up  to,  shipmates?"  queried  the 
noble  lord,  as  lie  held  the  t\vo  drunken  brutes  at  the 
end  of  his  great  three-foot  arms. 

"  Leggo  me  !  Tom  Crawford,  this  'ere  am  none  o' 
yer  bis'ness,"  answered  Brown  ;  with  oaths  that  smelt 
sulphurous  in  the  evening  air. 

"  What  yer  foughten  'bout,  Bill  ?  " 
1  Thet  'ere  bloody  Gee's  bin  smuggling  rum  'board 
o'  this  old  barky,  an'  he  won't  divide  ekally,"  said 
the  brave  British  Jove. 

1  Where's  yer  rum,  Portugee?"  inquired  Tom, 
meaning  to  dispense  it  with  a  lavish  hand  to  father 
Neptune. 

"None  o'  yer  bis'ness,"  was  Corvo's  reply. 
•'  Leggo  me,  or  I'll  put  ar  knife  in  yer  carcass."  And 
the  rum-mad  fellow  whipped  out  his  sheath-knife  and 
made  a  desperate  lunge  at  Crawford,  whose  long 
arms  for  once  saved  his  life  ;  for  the  slashing  blade 
barely  reached  Tom's  long  flowing  beard. 

Lifting  the  fellow  a  yard  from  the  deck,  Tom 
swung  Corvo  vigorously  back  against  the  foremast, 
till  the  rib-bones  of  the  Portuguese  cracked  like 
broken  crockery,  and  he  became  limp  as  a  wet  rair. 
Seeing  that  the  man  was  in  no  condition  to  use  his 
knife,  Tom  dropped  him  in  a  crumpled  heap  on  the 
fore-hatch. 

Turning  his  complete  attention  to  the  more  burly 
and  pugnacious  Englishman,  who  was  still  struggling 
to  break  away  from  his  jailer,  Tom  submitted  yet 
one  more  gentle  bit  of  persuasion  : 


TOM    CRAWFORD. 


21 


"Now,  Bill,  ole  shipmate,  duz  yer  wanter  quit 
foughtin',  an'  be  civil,  or  shall  ole  Tom  lay  yer  out? 
Like  thet  'ere  Gee,  on  ther  fo'  hatch." 

And  the  giant  seaman  lifted  the  struggling  Brit 
isher  high  in  air,  and  shook  him  roughly,  prepara 
tory  to  a  gentle  swing  against  the  mast,  if  need  be. 
But  Bill  Brown's  memory  came  nimbly  to  his  aid. 
He  at  length  remembered,  through  the  rum-fog,  the 
dreadful  thrashing  he  had  received  from  Tom  on  the 
previous  voyage,  and  now  cried  out  for  quarter,  and 
humbly  promised  to  behave. 

Just  then  Braybrook  heard  of  the  rumpus,  and 
came  hurriedly  forward  to  look  into  the  matter. 

"  What  is  going  on  here,  boys?"  -  and  he  turned 
to  Tom  for  an  explanation. 

"Why,  sir,  thet  'ere  new  Gee  has  broken  our 
rules,  an'  bin  smuggling  rum  'board  o'  ther  Fleet- 
wing,"  replied  Crawford. 

"  What,  you,  Corvo.     Didn't  I  tell  you,  when  you 

shipped,  that  liquor  was  never  to  be  brought  aboard  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,"    faintly  replied  the  Portuguese,  who 

had  just  rallied  from  his  dazed  condition  sufficiently 

to  speak. 

"Got  any  more  liquor  anywhere?"  The  man 
sulkily  hung  his  head,  and  would  not  reply.  The 
mate  turned  to  two  of  the  other  Portuguese  with 
the  order : 

"  Pico,  and  you,  Fayal,  go  below  and  bring  up  this 
man's  chest.  Tom,  step  down  into  the  forecastle, 
and  see  that  nothing  goes  wrong  with  that  chest." 


22  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

44  Ay,  ay,  sir. — Come,  Pico,  heave  ahead  an' 
bowse  'er  up.  We'll  break  cargo  in  thet  feller's 
ram-locker." 

When  Corvo's  chest  was  brought  on  deck,  the 
mate  demanded  the  key  of  its  owner.  This  was 
refused.  Then  Braybrook  turned  to  Tom  and  bade 
him  break  it  open.  With  one  adroit  kick,  the 
strong  seaman  sent  the  chest-cover  Hying,  and  dis 
closed  five  more  bottles  of  cheap  rum. 

"Overboard  with  the  stuff,  Tom,"  ordered  the 
mate.  One  after  another  the  bottles  were  flung 
over  the  bow,  which  elicited  a  groan  of  regret  from 
English  Bill,  and  a  sly  remark  from  Crawford: 
"  Look  out  fur  ar  squall,  lads,  after  daddy  Neptune 
has  soaked  with  thet  'ere  toddy." 

Corvo's  chest  was  restored  to  its  place  in  the  fore 
castle,  and  after  his  berth  had  been  thoroughly 
searched,  the  maimed  man  was  taken  tenderly  below, 
and  Dr.  Greville  was  called  to  adjust  the  broken 
ribs  of  the  badly  bruised  Portuguese. 

It  was  perhaps  an  over-severe  lesson  against  rum- 
drinking  and  knife-drawing.  But  the  Fleetwing 
was  intended  for  an  orderly  ship.  And  it  was  just 
this  kind  of  rough  experience,  administered  by  the 
same  bountiful  hand,  that  was  required  on  the  pre 
vious  voyage  to  convince  other  unruly  Portuguese 
that  daggers,  knives  and  sluhg-shot,  would  not  be 
tolerated  where  noble  old  Crawford  was  "  Cock  o' 
the  walk." 


CHAPTER    IV. 

A    TROPIC    NIGHT. 

day  ended  with  a  beautiful  evening.  The 
trades  dropped  away  with  the  sun,  and  now  a 
bland  tropic  air  was  fanning  the  ship  easily  along. 
Overhead  it  was  clear  and  cloudless.  The  stars 
came  twinkling  out  one  by  one,  until  the  whole 
canopy  was  ablaze  with  a  soft,  subdued  light.  A 
solemn  hush  was  creeping  over  the  ship  and  sea 
that  laid  hold  of  every  home-loving  heart  on  board. 

Dr.  Greville  and  the  mate  were  paired  off,  walk 
ing  fore-and-aft  on  the  quarter-deck.  The  captain 
had  previously  separated  abruptly  from  them,  and 
taken  his  seat  in  the  quarter  boat  —  a  hint  that  he 
wished  to  be  alone,  in  silent  commune  with  himself. 
These  self-assertive  habits  on  shipboard  are  cus 
tomary  with  all  masters  during  long  voyages,  and 
soon  come  to  be  accepted  as  fixed  as  the  laws  of  the 
Medes. 

Charles  Lawrence  was  new  to  the  situation,  and 
he  had  much  to  contemplate.  He  might  well  be 
proud  of  commanding  such  a  ship  as  the  Fleetwing. 

[23] 


24    .  TIIK     ISLK    OF     PALMS. 

He  was  very  young  to  hold  such  a  responsible 
position.  But  the  telling  experiences  of  his  life 
had  flowed  in  upon  him  as  upon  few  others  of  his 
age. 

When  we  remember  that  the  previous  voyage  had 
been  accomplished  within  a  year,  it  becomes  evident 
that  the  Fleetwing's  officers  had  completed  a  her 
culean  task.  Those  familiar  with  the  doings  of 
Captain  Lawrence,  while  mate,  will  confess  that  he 
performed  more  than  his  portion  of  the  voyage. 
Yet  it  was  not  of  his  many  brave  acts,  or  his  rapid 
advancement  to  command,  that  he  now  stole  away 
to  contemplate.  His  was  a  mind  which  grew  upon 
what  it  daily  acquired,  and  would  ever  find  itself 
pre-eminent  to  any  subsequent  exaltation  that  might 
fall  to  it. 

During  this  pensive  starlit  gloom,  Lawrence's 
thoughts  were  not  wholly  free  from  sad  retrospec 
tion.  It  was  an  hour  when  the  morbid  heart  loves 
to  clutch  at  a  by-gone  grief,  and  revel  in  the  passive 
sorrow  it  contains.  He  was  now  living  over  every 
incident  of  his  brief,  sad  love  for  Mary  Tudor.  He 
found  a  grim  pleasure  in  conjuring  up  the  shock 
which  her  broken  troth-plight  had  caused  him. 

Strange  that  this  much  honored  man  should  still 
hold  fast  to  the  embittered  feeling  which  that  one 
base  act  had  engendered  against  all  woman-kind. 
And  this,  too,  in  spite  of  his  warm  friendship  for 
Mrs.  Talbert;  his  exalted  friendship  for  Ascnith 
Alston;  and  the  delicious,  clinging  "  sisterly"  love 


CAPTAIN    LAWRENCE.  25 

of  Nellie  Lawrence  —  the  brightest  and  sweetest  of 
her  sex. 

Until  now,  Lawrence  had  not  fully  formulated  his 
resolutions  for  the  future.  In  the  busy  whirl  of 
business  and  recreation  while  ashore,  this  self-willed 
man  had  not  found  time  to  grapple  the  future  and 
declare  his  intentions.  But  from  this  hour  Charles 
Lawrence  meant  to  devote  himself  to  making  a  great 
voyage.  And  he  was  unnecessarily  severe,  in  now 
declaring  that  no  woman  should  hereafter  come 
between  him  and  his  worldly  aspirations. 

Having  determined  that  the  Fleetwing  should 
henceforth  become  his  best  beloved,  he  now  Hung 
off  his  morbid  retrospect  —  as  one  discards  an  ill- 
fitting  garment  —  and  began  to  watch  every  move 
ment  of  his  beautiful  ship.  He  soon  made  himself 
a  part  of  her  simplest  evolutions,  as  she  glided 
swan-like  over  the  bland  sea,  holding  a  graceful 
frolic  with  the  timid  wind  and  the  gentle  waves. 

The  unrisen  moon  had  not  yet  begun  to  dim  the 
lustre  of  the  companionable  stars.  It  was  an  hour 
when  the  visionary  gloom  of  starlight  endows  every 
object  on  the  sea  with  mystery.  When  the  human 
heart  cowers  upon  itself  for  companionship,  and 
woe  to  the  person  who  has  not  garnered  intelligent 
resources  for  such  an  hour. 

To  Lawrence's  sadly  brooding  mind  —  thus 
shrouded  in  starlight  —  the  plaintive  cooing  of  the 
wind  among  the  far  upper  sails  dwelt  on  his  alert 
ear  like  the  rustling  of  unseen  wings.  The  gentle 


26  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

finger-touches  of  the  breeze  upon  his  fevered  cheek 
startled  him,  as  if  it  were  the  spirit-touches  of  a 
loved  hand. 

Looking  up  to  the  just  visible  royal,  at  the  main, 
the  gaze  need  be  protracted  and  intent,  ere  it  could 
make  out  the  misty  sail.  When  once  it  was  fairly 
distinguished,  then  tne  eye  could  carry  the  graceful 
curves  of  the  canvas  wherever  it  wandered. 

Above  the  royal,  the  dim  tracery  of  the  little 
skysail  could  only  be  determined  by  its  blotting  out 
the  twinkling  blobs  of  starlight.  It  seemed  such 
a  ghostly,  star-rimmed  sail ;  meet  company  for  the 
winged  spirits  of  the  sky  —  whose  half-seen,  half- 
felt  influences  ever  hover  about  a  ship  over  all  the 
haunted  highways  of  the  ocean. 

While  sitting  thus  in  the  darkness,  and  seizin"1  lono- 

o          o          o 

at  the  vast  stretches  of  hollow  canvas  above,  one 
easily  becomes  impressed  with  the  delusion  that  the 
ship  is  sailing  away  from  us,  until  we  become  startled 
with  a  real  apprehension,  lest  we  should  be  left 
alone  on  the  dark  waters. 

Go  forward,  into  the  eyes  of  the  vessel,  and  the 
delusion  is  reversed.  Stand  on  the  bow,  or  better 
still,  lie  down  in  the  staysail-netting,  and  a  more 
bewitching  phantom  is  disclosed.  The  broad  swell 
of  the  bellying  canvas  breasts  out  above,  leaning 
over  the  dark  sea  as  if  the  on-coming  ship  would 
rush  over  us  if  we  did  not  up  and  away  from  before 
her  track. 

Eight  bells  were  now  struck,  calling  out  the  first 


MOONRISE.  27 

night-watch  to  duty.  The  musical  chimes  floated 
merrily  aloft,  echoing  buck  like  a  bird-song  from 
out  every  caverned  sail  overhead.  The  tinkling 
echoes  diminished  as  they  rose,  till  the  tiny  upper 
sails  sent  down  but  the  faintest  whisperings  of  the 
bell-music  that  had  rung  out  over  the  night. 

Captain  Lawrence's  revery  was  now  disturbed. 
Suddenly  the  starlight  departed.  A  flush  cf  light 
lit  up  every  rope  and  sail  in  the  ship,  and  the  gilded 
vane  at  the  truck  shone  like  a  hand  of  tire.  The 
great  yellow  moon  came  sauntering  slowly  up  over 
the  eastern  sea.  It  was  an  indolent  orb,  and  now 
leaned  languidly  against  a  massive  cumulus  cloud 
that  had  long  waited  her  coming.  They  toyed 
together  like  lovers.  Sitting  there  in  the  orient, 
seeking  a  pastime,  Cynthia  amused  herself  tinting 
the  fleecy  edges  of  the  cloud  with  green  and  gold, 
and  jealously  blotted  out  the  stars  that  they  could 
not  witness  her  dalliance. 

The  wind  dropped  away  till  not  a  breath  reached 
the  water.  What  breeze  there  was,  was  aloft ;  a 
breath  just  sufficient  to  fill  the  top-gallant-sails  and 
the  smaller  sails  above.  Below,  the  topsails  and 
courses  hung  lifeless  from  the  yards,  sleepy  as  the 
slumberous  cloud  that  had  locked  arms  with  the 
lazy  moon,  and  moored  ship  in  the  -purple  sky. 
Even  the  sea  seemed  intent  upon  a  watch  below, 
for  not  a  ripple  broke  on  the  mimic  waves  that 
purred  sleepily  against  the  vessel's  side. 


CHAPTER    V. 

UNCLE    JOE'S    SERMON". 

IT  was  a  bright  Sabbath  morning.  The  trade-wind 
had  dropped  away  during  the  night  and  left  the 
ship  becalmed.  The  great  island  of  Hawaii  was  in 
sight  to  the  N.  E.,  about  fifty  miles  distant.  The 
coast-line  was  hidden  by  a  shimmering  mist  of  nim 
bus  cloud,  while  above  it  rose  the  vast  dome-shaped 
top  of  Mauna  Loa,  towering  like  a  crystal  throne  in 
the  clear  blue  air. 

A  night  shower  of  new-fallen  snow  imparted  a 
ghostly  whiteness  to  the  hoary-headed  mountain, 
which  created  an  impression  of  supernatural  beauty. 
It  was  as  though  some  spirit-land  —  some  abode  of 
the  gods  —  were  hung  up  in  the  blue  ether  three 
miles  above  the  sea,  where  the  denizens  of  another 
world  might  look  down  upon  the  droning  creatures 
of  the  earth. 

At  long  intervals,  a  thin  si  ream  of  sulphurous 
smoke  gyrated  upward  from  the  da/xling  snow- 
crest, —  a  breath  from  the  slumbering  volcano 
beneath.  This  baneful  vapor  climbed  four  miles 

[26] 


THE    SNOW-CAPPED    MOUNTAIN. 

into  the  windless  air,  and  there  massed  into  a  cirrus 
cloud.  Acquiring  life  from  atmospheric  influence, 
the  cirrus  at  length  took  wing,  and  sailed  away  to 
the  N.  E.,  bent  upon  some  intelligent  mission  to  the 
source  of  the  trade-winds. 

Occasionally  a  soft  bronze-colored  cloud  drifted 
round  the  southern  rim  of  the  mountain,  above 
the  mist,  but  far  beneath  the  snow-line.  Tarrying 
awhile  among  the  cliffs,  as  if  held  by  some  strong 
attraction,  the  cloud  at  length  floated  out  over  the 
ship,  where  it  hung  for  hours.  When  other  kindred 
vapors  had  joined  it,  and  formed  a  substantial  cloud, 
then  the  newly-formed  mass  would  shower  down  its 
cool  raindrops  on  the  parched  deck,  and  go  floating 
away  to  the  S.  AY.,  sprinkling  the  thirsty  coral  isles 
found  in  its  path. 

The  snow-capped  mountain  was  a  beautiful  sight 
to  contemplate.  An  object  to  lift  an  intelligent 
man's  thoughts  heavenward  to  his  Maker.  Yet  it 
was  a  weird  apparition  to  look  upon  in  a  windless 
day,  and  it  failed  not  to  arouse  the  superstitions  of 
ignorant  seamen.  The  men  were  so  awed  by  the 
sublime  beauty  hung  in  mid-air,  that  they  went 
about  nervously  whistling  for  a  breeze.  These 
men  of  iron  interpreted  the  novel  sensations 
which  possessed  them,  as  the  influence  of  some 
dread  spirit,  feeling  about  for  the  sinful  man 
within. 

Uncle  Joe  was  perhaps  the  only  person  on  board 
who  rightly  understood  Jack's  mental  trepidations, 


30  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

and  sought  to  drop  !i  pregnant  thought  of  God,  and 
the  hereafter,  into  his  receptive  mind. 

During  the  afternoon,  with  Captain  Lawrence's 
permission,  the  pious  old  man  gathered  the  sailors 
amidship  to  talk  with  them  about  their  spiritual 
welfare.  The  captain  and  officers  gathered  respect 
fully  about  the  quarter-deck,  and  set  the  seamen  an 
example  of  sobriety  by  baring  their  heads  during 
Uncle  Joe's  earnest  exhortation. 

Mr.  Bailey  had  discoursed  to  the  sailors  on  the 
previous  voyage,  yet  with  no  regularity.  And  none 
knew  just  why  the  religious  old  man  was  only 
moved  upon  special  occasions.  With  a  solemn, 
reverent  air,  he  now  stood  upon  the  main  hatch  and 
gathered  the  men  about  him,  and  said  : 

"  Xow,  chilun,  snuggle  up  close  roun'  yer  ole  fader. 
Gedder  'bout  de  main  hatch,  an'  let  us  sing  sum  ob 
de  butiful  songs  ob  de  Lawd.  I  wanter  hab  ebbry 
sailor-man  jine  in  de  worship  ob  de  hebenly  Fader. 

"'Member,  Tom,  an'  Cook,  an'  niggar  Jim,  dat 
yo'  mis  mus'  hitch  on  befo'.  An'  de  rest  ob  de  boys 
am  ter  tail  on  arter.  So  pipe  up  !  ebbry  chile  'mong 
yer,  an'  toot  yer  horns,  ef  yer  can't  sing  werry 
much.  Now  let  us  sing  —  «  All  pull  to-gedder,  boys, 
fo'de  holy  Ian'.'" 

The  singing  was  pretty  well  managed.  The 
officers  joined  heartily  in  it,  and  one  by  one  every 
old.  shellback  lent  his  croaking  voice  to  swell  the 
choir;  until  the  whole  crew  seemed  to  enter  sober! v 
into  the  spirit  of  worship. 


TWO    NIG  GARS    IN    ONE.  31 

The  moral  effect  of  the  ebony  sermon  must  be 
impartially  judged  by  itself.  The  exhilarating  effect 
of  the  psalmody  so  enthused  the  sable  preacher  that 
he  now  threw  off  his  palmleaf  and  rolled  up  his 
sleeves,  as  if  about  to  tackle  a  belligerent  whale. 
"  Now,  all  yo'  white  folks,  — wid  de  niggars  hove 

in, I's  gwine  ter  preach  ter  yer  'bout  yer  soles. 

It  am  de  Sabber-day,  de  Lawd's  holy  day,  an'  ef  de 
mast-head  man  doan  sing  out :  Dar  she  blows  !  we 
uns  mus'  try  ter  ke'p  it  holy.  But,  chilun,  ef  de 
man  'loft  raise  'parm  whales,  den  ob  course  we'll 
hab  ter  lower,  an'  tuk  em. 

* '  But  'taint  ter  dose  yere  week-day  pussuns  dat 
I's  gwine  ter  lecture,  it  am  to  de  Sabber-day  folkes. 
Fhaps  yo'  can't  quite  sabe,  yo'  genlem  Jacks,  an' 
low-down  niggars,  dat  yo'  all  am  two  pussuns. 
Dere's  de  week-day  sailor,  an'  de  Sabber-day  man, 
in  one  pussun.  De  gude  man,  an'  de  ebil  man. 
De  po'  sinful  chile  dat  am  bound  ter  tophet ;  an'  de 
Lawd's  chile  what  may  go  ter  glory  —  ef  him  doan 
cut  de  pidgicn-wing  too  much  in  de  sight  ob  de 
Lawd. 

"So  heave  ahead!  ebbry  sinner.  Shorten  sail! 
Tack  'bout !  Tend  de  helm,  an'  ke'p  de  ship  rite  on 
de  lubber-p'int  fur  glory. 

"Now,  chilun,  I's  wanter  signify  dat  dish  chile 
am  two  niggars  —  de  Lawd's  brack  man,  an'  de 
clebble's  nilgai'.  Joe  Bailey  am  two  pussuns  in  one 
pa'r  trowsers.  An' de  white  folkes  amjesso.  Yo' 
all  seed  dish  yere  ole  wapple-jawed  brack  pussun. 


32  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

Dis  am  de  week-day  niggar.  Look  at  dese  yere  ole 
crooked  walkers,  dis  po'  arm,  tin'  dat  port-peeper, 
what's  gawn  ter  heben. 

"  But,  brudren,  dere's  nudder  niggar  'sides  dis  un  ; 
dar's  a  precious  sole  in  dish  chile's  in'ards.  A  lubly 
-white  niggar!  what  am  de  chile  ob  de  Lawd.  So, 
brudren,  all  yo'  chilun  what  hah  ar  white  sole  in  yer 
bosum  shall  sum  day  kneel  wid  de  angils  at  ter 
t'rone  ob  grace.  Dat's  de  kind  ol)  pussun  Joe* 
Bailey  lubs  ter  pray  wid  !  Ter  work  wid  !  An'  ter 
die  wid. 

"  Dat's  de  Lawd's  chile  !  Not  dish  yere  ole  can- 
tank'rous  brack  man,  what  goes  whalin'  ter  kotch 
Mocha  Dick.  De  A 'mighty  am  promise  dis  chile 
one  mo'  hack  at  dat  critter ;  dat  dreffle  ole  'parm 
whale  wot  staves  de  boats,  an'  am  leaged  wid  Satan. 
Arter  dat  las'  fight,  brudders,  den  both  ob  dem  Joe 
Baileys  am  re'dy  fo'  glory.  Den  de  folks  up  ter 
Bedford  will  clap  dcre  han's  fo'  one  mo'  gude 
gar,  'sides  dat  ar  ole  Jim  Crow. 

'  So,  chilun,  it  am  ter  dose  yere  inner  m 
dish  chile  wanter  preach  to.  I  wanter  1mb  yo'  sing 
de  praise  ob  de  Lawd  in  yer  hearts  ebbry  day. 
Pray  when  yo'  go  ter  bunk,  ebbry  watch  b'low,  fo' 
all  de  gude  t'ings  Gord  A'mighty  hab  gin  yer. 

'  T'ank  de  hebcnly  Fader  fo'  dis  gude  ship.  Fo' 
plenty  ob  lobscousc,  an'  duff.  Dat  de  hard  tack  am 
widout  worms,  ter  wriggle  roun'  in  yer  belly.  Dat 
de  salt-hoss  am  not  de  kind  wot  de  shore  folks  make 
de  furniture  wid.  T'ank  de  great  .Jrhohah  fo'  de 


"TRIM    DISH    FO'   HEBEN."  33 

lots  ob  whales  we  boys  bin  kotch,  an'  on'y  one  po' 
sinner  bin  knocked  ter  glory. 

"Ah!  sailor-Jacks,  p'raps  yo'  hab  furgut  'bout 
dat  ar  Cap'n  Norman,  wid  de  fo'  stoven  boats,  an' 
lots  ob  de'd  sinners. 

"How's  dat  fo'  high!  Am  yo'  uns  any  better 
dan  dose  folkes  ?  No  sah-e  !  yo'  am  jes  ez  much 
sinners  az  dose  yere  Albion  boys  we  seed  at  Fayal ; 
on'y  de  Lawd  looks  arter  yo'  uns,  an'  he  jes  let  dem 
yere  scalawags  go  ter  tophet. 

"  Hiah  !  Brace  up  de  yards,  all  yo'  sinners,  an' 
make  sail  fo'  glory.  H'ist  de  Lawd's  cullers  at  de 
peak !  an'  trim  dish  fo'  heben ;  or  not  one  chile 
'mong  yer  shall  play  de  banjo  in  de  holy  Ian'.  Now 
tote'  long  for'ard,  ebbry  sole  ob  yer,  an'  sing  de 
hallelujer,  an'  pray  to  Gord  to  hab  mercy  on  yer 
soles." 

It  was  indeed  a  labor  of  love  ;  and  laborious  work 
the  sable  preacher  made  of  it.  While  he  stood  mop 
ping  the  perspiration  from  his  face,  the  sailors  filed 
off  soberly  forward,  along  each  side  of  the  try- 
works,  and  grouped  about  into  their  usual  select 
social  gatherings. 

During  Uncle  Joe's  quaint  discourse,  the  sable 
face  of  the  preacher  had  frequently  been  illumined 
by  a  strange  unearthly  light,  which  awed  and  im 
pressed  his  superstitious  audience  with  evident 
trembling  and  fear. 

Personally  knowing  the  saintly  old  man  to  be  a 
prophet,  and  believing  him  to  be  leagued  with  super- 


34  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

natural  powers,  the  seamen  readily  imbibed  his 
precepts,  while  they  dare  not  wholly  reject  his 
logistics  about  their  probable  chance  of  a  cruise  in 
the  brimstone  sea. 

"  Look  ar  'ere,  Tom,  what  duz  yer  think  'bout 
thet  'ere  doxology?"  asked  Buntline,  with  a  tremu 
lous  voice,  as  he  hastily  took  a  seat  on  the  top- 
"alhmt  forecastle  beside  Crawford  —  the  man  he 

13 

looked  to  above  all  others. 

"  Well,  Ben,  Uncle  Joe  am  hit  it  'bout  right  in 
your  case.  Sorry  though,  ole  shipmate." 

"O  don't,  Tom!  We  uns  hev  sailed  to-gedder 
too  long  fur  you  ter  leave  me  in  the  lurch,  thet 
way."  And  the  dismal  old  shellback  groaned  with 
an  audible  agony. 

"  Howsumever,  thet's  my  'pinion.  There's  durned 
few  lambs  in  this  'ere  flock  o'  goats,  I  can  tell 
yer,"  continued  Tom  with  great  assumption  of  reli 
gious  gravity. 

"  Say,  matey,  how  duz  Joe  Bailey  kno'  ther  road 
ter  tophet  better  than  we  uns?"  And  Buntline 
sprang  up  and  walked  the  deck  ath wart-ships,  in  a 
truly  pitiable  state  of  trepidation. 

"I  durstn't  tell  yer  all  I  kno'  'bout  thet,  Ben. 
But  yer  see,  Uncle  Joe  got  a  inside  berth  forty 
year  ago,  when  he  fit  Mad  Dick,  down  off  the 
Pelews.  Him  an'  ther  Lord  bin  bully  friends  ever 
since." 

"  I  wish  we  uns  mought  get  ar  breeze,  an'  skutc, 
out  <>'  this  'ere  pesky  place."  And  Ben  began  to 


whistle  vociferously,  while  casting  a  nervous  side- 
glance  at  the  weird-looking  mountain. 

"  Yis,  old  covey,  so  duz  we  all,"  —  and  Craw 
ford's  heart  began  to  fail  him.  He  joined  his  whistle 
with  Buntline's,  and  the  two  worthies  walked  the 
deck,  squirting  tobacco  juice  with  desperate  energy, 
as  they  turned  at  the  cat-heads,  to  retrace  their  steps. 

"  How  is  it  thet  durned  sarmon  don't  make  yer 
tauten  yer  lifts  an'  braces,  Torn?" 

"Well,  Ben,  p'haps  I  didn't  feel  ther  toastiir- 
fork  ez  much  ez  yo'  uns,  cause  I's  better  edicated. 
Edication  toughens  the  hide,  yer  kno'.  But  I've 
'bout  calkerlated  thet  we  both  on  us  had  better 
sail  a  leetle  nearer  ther  wind  in  futer." 

"  By  hokey  !  Why  couldn't  yer  owned  up  'fore, 
Tom  ?  It's  sum  cumfort  ter  kno'  thet  ole  Buntline 
aint  ther  on'y  fellar  wid  a  hogged  keel  an'  sprung 
vards." 


CHAPTER  VI. 

SCUDDING    IN    A    GALE. 

WHILE  the  ship  was  still  lying  becalmed  on  the 
following  day,  Uncle  Joe  detected  the  first 
remote  evidence  of  a  coming  storm.  Mr.  Bailey's 
one  lone  eye  was  turned  heavenward  oftener  than 
the  two  optics  of  all  others  on  board,  and  good  to 
the  general  cause  often  came  out  of  it  in  more  ways 
t'.ian  can  be  told.  Though  it  was  the  old  man's 
afternoon  watch  below,  yet  he  lay  smoking  on  the 
carpenter's  bench,  in  one  of  his  weird,  mystic  moods. 
Captain  Lawrence  had  observed  him  for  an  hour 
past,  while  walking  the  quarter-deck,  until  curiosity 
was  aroused  to  know  the  worst. 

4  *  Well,  what's  up,  Mr.  Bailey;  anything  good 
coming?" 

"  Nuffin  gude,  sah.  Dar's  mo'  wind  cumin'  dan 
we  uns  wanter  tek  car'  ob,"  he  answered  in  a 
drawling  voice,  like  one  aroused  from  a  deep 
sleep. 

"What  makes  you  think  so?"  said  the  captain, 
briskly  swinging  his  eyes  round  the  southern  and 

[3GJ 


THE  MARE'S-TAILS.  37 

eastern  horizon,  without  seeing  a  cloud  big   as  the 

hand. 

"  Look  up  dar,  sah.     Dem  yare  mare's-tails  look 

dreffle  pokerish,  Cap'n." 

"  Goodness  !     They  are  switching  it  off  furiously. 
They  are  scudding  due  west.     We  ought  not  to  have 
a  strong  gale  here  in  this  latitude."    And  the  captain, 
looked  to  have  his  comments  confirmed. 

"  DC  Lawd's  ways  am  not  our  ways,  Cap'n.  Dem 
scud  sez  it  am  gwine  ter  blow  ar  gale,  sah,"  said  lie 
with  a  reproving  air. 

"  Steward!" 

"Sir!" 

"  See    how    the    barometer    stands,    and    set    the 


grange." 


"Barometer  stands  at  31,  sir.  The  mercury  is 
a  little  bellied  downward,"  replied  the  steward  a 
moment  after. 

"  Ah  !  That  don't  look  like  a  gale,  Uncle  Joe," 
with  an  arch  look  of  triumph. 

4 'Joe  Bailey  doan  kno'  'bout  dat  ole  'romcter, 
sah;  but  dish  chile  am  got  de  marks  ob  too  many 
jimmycanes,  not  ter  kno'  de  switch  ob  dose  mare's- 
tails.  It  am  gwine  ter  blow  like  t'under,  sah." 

Uncle  Joe  emptied  his  short,  black,  stumpy  pipe, 
hobbled  along  to  the  cabin,  and  turned  in.  While 
the  captain  took  a  seat  by  the  taffrail  and  studied 
the  weather.  There  were  a  number  of  high-flying 
streamers  streaking  it  across  the  far  upper  sky. 
They  were  long,  thin,  gauzy-looking  shreds  of  torn 


THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

cirrus  clouds,  scudding  with  a  waving,  zigzag  motion, 
verily  like  the  eel-grass  in  a  swift-flowing  river. 

Against  this  evidence  of  a  gale,  Captain  Lawrence 
argued  :  that  the  ship  was  in  the  mid-limits  of  the 
trades,  where  a  strong  gale  rarely  blows  ;  that  the 
barometer  was  much  too  high  for  a  gale  at  present ; 
while  the  scud  was  the  probable  overflow  of  some 
great  storm  centre  far  away  to  the  north. 

But  the  trades  at  length  breezed  up,  the  yards 
weue  braced,  and  the  ship  was  brought  to  her  course. 
The  scud  soon  expended  itself,  and  no  more  thought 
was  given  to  Mr.  Bailey's  predicted  storm.  Before 
midnight  the  wind  became  strong.  Angry  clusters 
of  lunar-dogs  rimmed  the  moon  about, — a  weird 
gloria  of  orange  and  purple  rainbows,  —  sure  har 
bingers  of  a  storm. 

During  the  morning  watch  the  sky  became  over 
cast,  till  the  weak,  wan  light  of  the  moon  added 
greatly  to  the  ghostliness  of  the  sea.  Her  light  was 
at  length  wholly  blotted  out  by  the  low  scud  sneak 
ing  swiftly  across  the  sky,  and  but  for  the  brilliant 
flashes  of  phosphorescence  the  ship  would  have  been 
left  in  darkness. 

Throughout  the  day  the  ship  went  racing  aloni^ 
at  great  speed.  Toward  night  the  overstrained 
canvas  became  a  sight  to  behold,  with  the  low-lying 
western  sun  illuminating  the  bulging  swell  of  her 
sails.  The  tough  masts  were  bending  a-lee,  till  the 
leeward  shrouds  and  backstays  swayed  loosely  with 
every  pitch  or  roll. 


A    WEATHER    HELM.  39 

The  spanker  was  proving  too  much  after  sail,  for 
the  ship  not  only  carried  a  weather  helm,  but  occa 
sionally  took  the  bit  in  her  teeth,  — like  a  wilful 
steed,  —  pirouetting  into  the  wind  a  point  and  a  half; 
till  the  royal  masts  buckled  fearfully,  and  the  flying 
jib-boom  threatened  to  snap  off  at  the  boom-iron. 

Captain  Lawrence  was  in  the  cabin  ;  Bray  brook 
and  Bailey  were  superintending  work  in  the  hold  ; 
so  the  helmsman  was  imprudently  left  to  work  his 
laborious  passage  at  the  wheel.  'Tucket,  one  of 
the  ship's  best  steersmen,  was  at  the  helm  ;  yet  under 
such  unequal  sail-pressure,  no  amount  of  skill  at  the 
helm  could  prevent  this  occasional  send  into  the 
Avind,  a  point  or  two  out  of  the  course. 

It  now  became  very  exciting  to  watch  the  brave 
tussle  of  the  dainty  spars,  and  the  baby-sails ;  but 
the  shrouds  and  the  stays  held  firm,  and  the  tough 
sticks  kept  to  their  task. 

The  sea  was  rising  fast,  and  in  the  weather  lurches 
and  the  windward  sends  the  wind  whistled  merrily 
aloft, — varying  its  exciting  tones  from  the  shrill  fife 
notes  during  the  lurches  to  that  of  the  softest  flute 
music  of  a  lovers'  serenade,  —  while  the  ship  sprung 
her  luff  and  careened  to  the  breeze. 

Braybrook  came  up  from  the  hold  in  time  to  save 
trouble.  He  discovered  the  situation,  and  at  once 
ordered  the  spanker  brailed  up,  and  the  mizzen 
topsail  checked  in.  This  took  off  the  ugly  gripe  on 
the  rudder,  relieved  the  weather  helm,  and  made  the 
ship  sail  all  the  faster.  Sail  was  at  length  reduced, 


40  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

and  the  ship  ran  oft'  with  a  free  wind  for  hours,  until 
night  shut  down,  dark  and  dismal. 

Captain  Lawrence  held  on  to  his  single  reefed 
topsails  too  long.  The  squalls  now  threatened  to 
rip  the  masts  out  when  they  piped  on  at  their  worst. 
The  problem  of  shortening  sail  in  such  a  furious 
gale,  is  one  to  appall  the  boldest  seaman.  The 
captain  must  now  elect  quickly,  either  to  bring  the 
ship  to  the  wind,  or  reef  down  while  scudding  be 
fore  the  gale.  He  chose  the  latter  alternative,  the 
toughest  and  most  dangerous  task  of  the  two.  But 
he  knew  that  his  officers  could  be  trusted  in  such 
an  emergency,  and  that  the  seamen  were  disciplined 
to  work  together  with  a  will. 

To  suddenly  reduce  sail  too  much,  while  scud 
ding,  would  incur  the  risk  of  being  pooped  by  some 
of  the  great  following  seas.  Here  was  a  point 
which  required  discriminating  judgment,  and  only 
the  most  skilful  seaman  could  accomplish  the 
task. 

First  of  all,  the  fore  and  mizzen  topsails  must  be 
reduced  to  close  reefs,  taking  the  risk  of  currying 
the  single  reefed  main-topsail  during  the  evolution. 
The  advantage  of  this  plan  will  be  seen  ;  the  fore- 
topsail  would  thus  be  kept  embayed,  or  becalmed 
behind  the  main,  while  the  ship  was  run  dead  before 
the  wind.  In  the  meantime  the  mizzen  topsail  could 
be  reefed,  by  bracing  sharp  up,  so  as  to  shiver  the 
weather  leech  by  yawing  the  ship  a  trifle  from  her 
course. 


REEFING   TOPSAILS.  41 

When  these  lesser  topsails  were  secured,  then 
came  the  tug  of  war.  Both  watches  were  required 
to  handle  the  main-topsail,  for  the  whole  force  of 
the  gale  now  had  a  fair  sweep  at  the  sail.  The  vast 
square  of  canvas  bellied  to  the  wind  with  such  enor 
mous  pressure,  that  there  was  danger  of  springing 
the  yard  at  the  jaws  the  instant  the  halyards  were 
slacked,  and  the  strain  taken  off  the  braces. 

Long  Tom,  the  best  man  in  the  ship,  had  the  hal 
yards  in  hand.  Several  careful  hands,  under  the 
eye  of  an  officer,  were  put  upon  the  lee  topsail  brace. 
When  all  was  ready,  every  man  to  be  spared 
grappled  the  reef-tackles,  buntlines,  and  clewlines, 
and  the  yard  was  eased  slowly  away.  The  iron 
parral  pressed  so  hard  against  the  mast,  that  it  re 
quired  the  united  strength  of  the  crew  to  bring  the 
yard  steadily  down  to  the  cap.  Even  when  the 
yard  was  fairly  down  upon  the  lifts,  and  squared  by 
the  braces,  the  reef-tackle  men  had  a  hard  tussle 
before  the  reef-crinkles  could  be  bowsed  up  two 
blocks. 

Then  another  kind  of  fun  confronted  the  reefers. 
Though  the  yard  was  heavily  manned,  —  a  man  to 
every  two  reef-points,  — yet  in  spite  of  their  united 
efforts,  the  slatting  sail  ballooned  high  above  their 
heads,  thrashing  and  thundering  like  a  thousand 
demons,  unwilling  to  be  enchained. 

This  emergency  required  a  cunning  trick  with  the 
helm.  Some  deck  hands  sprang  to  the  larboard 
fore  braces  and  canted  the  fore-yards,  ready  for  a 


42  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

yaw;  then  the  helm  was  put  over  a-port,  — a  half- 
spoke  at  a  time,  — cautiously  luffing  enough  to  spill 
the  topsail ;  though  at  the  risk  of  being  boarded  by 
a  broadside  sea. 

Then  down  crashed  the  iron-bound  topsail,  at 
the  risk  of  knocking  every  man  from  the  yard. 
Those  not  too  much  stunned,  seized  the  reef- 
points  and  knotted  them  hard  and  fast.  Thus 
one  reef  was  taken.  The  ship  was  kept  before 
the  wind  in  the  interval  of  squalls,  luffing  again 
when  required  to  spill  the  ballooned  sail  for  another 
reef. 

It  took  an  hour's  hard  tussle  to  accomplish  the 
job.  But  it  was  a  triumph  of  seamanship,  a  mastery 
of  the  mad  elements  such  as  no  other  nautical  evolu 
tion  can  show.  Snugged  down  to  three  close-reefed 
topsails  and  reefed  foresail,  it  now  became  a  question 
whether  the  ship  could  travel  fast  enough  to  escape 
the  following  seas. 

All  eyes  now  watched  the  nervous  creature  with 
intense  excitement,  ready  to  spring  into  the  rigging 
when  the  bursting  sea-tops  came  hurtling  down 
upon  her  quarters ;  anxious  lest  her  speed  should 
prove  insufficient  under  such  short  sail. 

When  the  advanced  foot  of  the  vast  billows  ran 
under  her  counter,  and  flung  her  stern  high  in  air, 
then  her  sails  were  becalmed  by  the  backward  slat, 
and  instant  destruction  seemed  impending  over  the 
ship  and  all  on  board.  But  such  was  the  force  of 
the  grappling  wave  that  it  had  the  Hlect  to  shoot 


THE    WINGED    CREATURE.  43 

the  on-rushing  vessel  faster  than  ever  down  the  long 
incline  of  the  stupendous  billow. 

This  accelerated  speed  taxed  the  helmsman  greatly, 
lest  the  winged  creature  should  broach-to — one  way 
or  the  other  —  as  she  squirmed  about  in  the  unequal 
toss  and  tumble  of  the  lesser  waves  found  riding  on 
the  backs  of  the  larger  billows. 

After  the  ship  ran  down  through  the  deep,  smooth 
hollow  of  the  vast  seas,  and  her  sharp  bow  rose, 
pointing  to  the  sky,  while  she  struggled  up  the 
watery  hill,  then  she  again  became  embayed  for  an 
instant,  and  appeared  irresolute,  as  if  left  to  the 
mercy  of  the  coming  comber. 

But  as  a  soldier  climbs  the  rampart  and  leaps 
down  among  his  foes,  so  the  Fleet  wing  mounted 
over  the  stupendous  sea-tops,  and  crashed  down 
amidst  the  noisy  sputter  and  spume  ;  gladdening  all 
on  board,  till  the  crew  shouted  in  wild  exultation  to 
see  their  pet  craft  run  romping  among  the  angry 
waves,  nimble  as  a  deer. 

A  few  hours  of  such  severe  tests  satisfied  all  that 
the  mettlesome  creature  was  equal  to  any  emergency. 
Though  the  beautiful  thing  was  so  sensitive  to  the 
touch  of  wind  or  wave,  yet  she  minded  her  helm  so 
readily  that  a  quick,  experienced  eye  could  easily 
conn  her,  and  surmount  any  danger. 

At  long  intervals  throughout  this  dreadful  night, 
the  imprisoned  moon  would  burst  forth  from  some 
narrow  rift  in  the  storm-clouds,  casting  a  brief  glim 
mer  over  the  lashed  waters,  and  a  weird  glare  upon 


1  1  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

the  sails.  Not  long  at  a  time  would  the  swift- mov 
ing  clouds  permit  the  moon  to  shine,  ere  she  was 
shut  out,  and  the  black  night  became  more  dismal 
than  ever. 

During  these  brief  intervals,  when  the  moon  lit 
up  a  long  narrow  vista  on  the  wild  waste  of  waters, 
there  ever  appeared  in  her  shimmering  track  a  vast 
Shadow-Shape  —  tall  as  from  sea  to  sky,  and  black 
as  the  doom  of  sin.  Leaping  out  of  the  darkness 
beyond,  this  ambushed  monster  chased  the  timid 
moonbeams  over  the  frothy  sea,  following  from  bil 
low  to  billow,  and  clutching  at  every  ray  of  light 
found  toying  with  the  playful  wave-crests. 

With  the  snap  of  an  angry  dragon,  this  demon  of 
darkness  pursued  the  fleeing  light,  up  over  the  steep 
fore-front  of  the  seas  and  down  into  the  deep  dark 
troughs  of  the  gigantic  billows,  casting  its  own 
raiment  of  blackness  over  the  lesser  shadows  found 
lurking  in  the  embayed  hollows.  At  length  it  seized 
upon  the  last  vestige  of  moonlight  and  strangled  the 
beautiful  gleam  in  its  grasp,  blinding  all  with  its 
hadean  blackness  and  leaving  a  feeling  akin  to  hor 
ror  in  place  of  the  moon's  ethereal  light,  ever  a 
solace  to  the  lonely  seaman  in  such  an  hour. 

At  such  times  the  helmsman  shuddered  with  re 
newed  superstitions  at  the  ice-cold  touch  of  the 
Demon  Shadow  as  he  passed.  Cowering  as  from  an 
impending  blow,  with  the  added  ghost liness  of  llie 
scene,  the  seaman  nervously  clutched  the  spokes  of 
the  helm  and  twirled  the  wheel  with  needless  vche- 


THE    DEMON    SHADOW.  45 

mence,  lest  the  scudding  ship  should  also  be  caught 
up  in  the  terrifying  grip  of  the  Demon  Shadow. 

When  this  brief  glimpse  of  moonlight  came  to 
enliven  the  weary  watch  on  the  bow,  then  the 
sailor's  heart  leaped  with  delight,  and  he  burst  into 
song.  So  long  had  he  vainly  peered  into  the  dark 
ness  ahead,  that  he  almost  lost  his  own  identity  in 
the  screech  of  the  wind  and  the  snarl  of  the  sea. 

For  the  first  time  during  the  night  the  bow-watch 
could  now  trace  out  the  jib-booms  before  him  ;  see 
the  long  black  guys  following  down  to  the  spritsail 
yard,  and  inboard  to  the  bows.  Could  distinguish 
the  martingale  bury  its  dolphin- sticker  in  the  seeth 
ing  foam,  and  see  the  bobstays  thrash  the  encroach 
ing  seas  with  their  rattling  links  of  iron. 

Yet  when  the  sailor's  song  was  most  joyous,  and 
while  his  heart  was  revelling  in  the  smiles  of  his 
lassie  in  the  far-away  home  ;  lo,  the  witching  moon 
beam  was  strangled  before  his  very  eyes,  and  he  felt 
the  death-grip  of  the  Shadow  Demon  till  it  chilled 
him  to  the  bone. 


CHAPTER   VII. 

OLD    BEX    BUNTLINE. 

IT  was  an   awe-inspiring   scene    when    daylight   at 
length  broke  over  the  scudding  ship.     Her  for 
ward  deck  was  a-wash  with  the  oft-invadino-    seas. 

O 

The  furled  sails  had  here  and  there  squirmed  out  of 
the  gaskets,  and  blew  in  tattered  rags  to  the  gale. 
In  places,  the  bulwarks  were  washed  away,  the  open 
wash-boards  proving  insufficient  to  let  out  the  board- 
in;!  seas. 

The  seas  were  hourly  increasing,  and  now  topped 
up  higher  than  ever.  Yet  the  waves  had  become 
more  regular,  ;md  were  easier  to  contend  with  than 
the  devious,  wobbling  billows  of  the  previous  night. 
The  force  of  the  gale  had  strewn  the  trough  of  the 
waves  with  acres  of  snowy  foam,  that  looked  in  the 
distance  like  ice-fields,  when  seen  in  the  deep  hol 
lows  of  the  adumbrant  seas. 

The  morning  sky  hung  low  and  lowering.  The 
storm-clouds  had  become  the  color  of  lead.  The 
scud  flew  faster  than  ever ;  flying  so  low  that  it  fre 
quently  tore  its  trailing  plumage  against  the  trucks 

[4CJ 


OLD    BEN    BUNTLINE. 


47 


of   the    swaying  masts.       All    these   were    ominous 
sio-ns  of  further  increase  of  wind ;  so  the  life-lines 

O 

were  taughtened  fore-and-aft,  and  extra  gaskets  put 
upon  all  the  sails. 

Throughout  the  morning  hours  the  gale  increased, 
blowing  with  the  utmost  fury  during  the  squalls. 
At  such  times  the  ends  of  the  main  yard  were 
buckled  upward  by  the  tugging  clews  of  the  topsail, 
showing  the  enormous  strain  of  even  a  reefed  sail, 
while  the  ship  was  poised  on  the  top  of  the  career 
ing  seas.  The  mate  observed  the  danger  and  or 
dered  preventer-braces  put  to  the  yards  as  soon  as 
the  squall  had  passed ;  though  the  spar  was  of  good 
Oregon  pine,  with  a  twist  in  its  grain,  and  wholly 
free  from  knots.  It  had  been  inured  from  its  youth 
to  buckle  to  the  blasts  of  Boreas,  and  should  now  be 
toughened  to  meet  the  ocean  gales. 

It  was  a  time  when  only  the  best  steersmen  in  the 
ship  could  be  trusted  at  the  wheel,  with  a  light  hand 
at  the  lee  spokes,  and  an  officer  to  conn  them  both. 
Ben  Buntline,  the  second-best  seaman  aboard,  now 
had  the  Fleetwing  in  hand.  Under  the  heavy, 
shaggy  thatch  on  old  Ben's  brick-colored  head,  there 
peered  two  small,  keen,  observing  eyes ;  having  a 
kindly  humorous  look  that  took  the  fancy  of  a 
stranger  without  further  passport. 

Blow  high  or  blow  low,  old  Ben  was  a  chap  who 
always  kept  his  home  craft  on  an  even  keel.  Even 
when  in  port  —  where  shoal-water  abounds  —  Bunt- 
line  was  wont  to  carry  a  light  press  of  sail,  with  his 


48 


THE    ISLE    OV    I'ALMS. 


anchor  ever  in  the  ring-stopper,  ready  to  let  go.  A 
man  that  was  never  caught  floundering  in  groggy 
sea-ways,  without  a  light  in  the  binnacle,  and  a 
watch  on  the  bow. 

Wind  and  weather  had  made  great  havoc  with  this 
briny  old  shellback.  The  sea-squalls  of  fifty  years 
had  ploughed  into  his  kindly  old  visage,  verily  like 
the  attrition  of  centuries  on  a  mountain  side,  till 
Ben's  face  was  the  color  of  leather,  and  as  wrinkled 
and  guttered  as  the  un-payed  seams  of  a  water-looked 
hulk. 

Ben's  hard,  horny  hands  had  become  claw-shaped, 
from  a  life-time  of  bowsing  and  hauling  on  clewlines 
and  buntlines,  tacks  and  sheet.  Yet,  thick-skinned 
and  hard-headed  as  he  was,  Bunt  line's  touch  of  the 
helm  was  as  sensitive  as  the  antenna  of  a  bee  on  a 
flower ;  and  with  the  exception  of  Tom  Crawford,  he 
was  the  best  helmsman  in  the  ship. 

One  could  never  tire  of  the  night-yarns  of  this 
intelligent  old  sailor.  Yet  there  was  a  ghostliness 
in  his  deep  bass  voice  that  made  one  cringe  and 
cower,  and  peer  slyly  about  for  spirits  and 
spooks  at  such  times;  for  the  man  himself  always 
seemed  to  feel  that  he  was  surrounded  by  boat's, 
when  at  his  l>est  story-telling,  in  the  midnight 
watch. 

There  were  no  signs  of  decrepitude  in  the  vast 
memory  of  this  weird  old  Salt.  lien's  head  seenu-d 
stored  with  countless  wrecks  and  hair-brc.-.dfh 
escapes,  of  himself  and  others,  snugly  chocked  oil' 


BRINY    SEA-YARNS.  49 

with  every  kind  of  silly  superstition  known  to  the 
denizens  of  the  sea. 

Buntline  was  not  a  garrulous  man,  as  were  most 
of  his  shipmates.  His  habits  of  duty  were  so  con 
scientious  that  he  was  as  dumb  as  the  head  pump 
during  the  day-watches.  Nothing  short  of  a  storm, 
or  a  dark  night-watch,  could  unlock  old  Ben's 
vast  hoard  of  sea-stories, — briny  yarns,  wherein 
fact  and  fiction  were  so  blended  in  woof  and  warp, 
that  the  old  hero  had  long  since  forgotten  which  was 
which.  No  one  could  doubt  Buntline's  originality, 
for  he  could  not  read  a  line  or  count  a  thousand 
numerals. 

This  faithful  old  "  sea-dog"  was  master  of  every 
kink  and  crotchet  in  seamanship.  He  could  make, 
mend,  or  set  a  sail  with  the  best  on  board.  He 
could  ship  or  un-ship  a  mast,  whether  the  spar  were 
the  tiny  royal-pole  or  the  ponderous  main-mast. 

It  was  one  of  his  boasts  that  he  could  splice  a 
stranded  rope  while  suspended  by  it  a  hundred  feet 
above  the  deck.  And  he  told  the  truth.  For  he 
would  knot  a  "sheep-shank"  in  the  rope  he  was 
told  to  mend,  —  including  the  stranded  part,  —  climb 
into  the  bight  of  the  knot,  cut  the  damaged  rope 
above  his  head,  while  he  hung  dangling  by  it  in  the 
air;  deliberately  stop  to  renew  his  quid,  and  then 
finish  his  perilous  job  as  neatly  as  though  done  upon 
the  deck. 

The  ingenuity  of  this  battered  old  hulk  was  equal 
to  any  occasion.  Ben  knew  just  the  perilous  situa- 


50  THE    ISLE    OF    TALMS. 

tions  in  which  an  officer  should  throw  all  "  upon  one 
cast  of  the  die,"  by  clubhauling  or  boxhauling  a  ship 
on  a  lee  shore,  — even  though  the  clubhaul  took  the 
last  anchor  belonging  to  the  vessel. 

The  bowlegged  old  seaman  could  splinter  a  broken 
yard  aloft,  while  it  hung  by  the  lifts  and  braces,  in 
a  storm.  When  his  job  was  completed,  Ben  would 
hail  the  deck  to,  "  Hoist  away  !  "  and  naively  admon 
ish  the  officer  to  carry  sail  on  the  mended  spar  hard 
as  he  pleased. 

True,  Ben  would  spoil  a  couple  of  stunsails 
booms,  by  splitting  them  in  halves,  wherewith  to 
clamp  his  broken  yard ;  and  would  not  be  satisfied 
with  any  but  the  best  rope  in  the  ship,  with  which  to 
serve  his  splints.  But  the  awkward  fracture  would 
be  mended  with  sufficient  neatness  to  wear  into  port, 
if  the  scrupulous  old  Tar  were  granted  his  way. 

Towards  noon  the  sun  became  strong  enough  to 

O  O 

burn  a  hole  through  the  tough,  torn  scud  ;  scattered 
the  surface  mist,  blued  the  purple  water,  and  be 
gemmed  the  foaming  sea-tops  with  a  thousand  danc 
ing  rainbows.  The  deck  was  still  awash  with  water 
that  gushed  in  at  the  scuppers,  or  found  entrance 
through  the  open  wash-boards,  and  broken  places 
in  the  bulwarks.  The  foresail  was  still  drenched, 
woof  and  warp,  with  the  wind-blown  spray,  that 
occasionally  reached  the  weather  clew  of  the  fore- 
topsail  ;  for  a  sharp  vessel  delights  to  strike  back  at 
every  pugnacious  wave  that  attempts  to  jostle  her 
on  the  free  ocean  highway. 


THE    WEIRD    SUNSET.  51 

The  tumult  of  the  gale  among  the  shrouds  and 
stays  was  still  diabolical,  often  simulating  the  pain 
ful  shrieks  of  a  soul  in  torment;  and  sometimes 
mingled  with  hideous  groans  as  if  wrung  from  the 
damned:  High  aloft,  the  sounds  of  the  wind  were 
less  terrifying ;  though  even  at  the  royal-mast  head 
there  were  sounds  from  every  note  in  the  gamut, 
from  the  scream  of  an  eagle  to  the  shriek  of  a  fiddle. 

Late  in  the  afternoon  the  gale  abated  so  that  the 
cook  could  start  a  fire  in  the  galley.  After  a  hard 
tussle,  lobscouse  and  tea  were  made  ready  for  the 
sailors,  — the  first  warm  meal  during  the  day,  —  and  a 
more  palatable  supper  was  concocted  for  the  cabin. 
Jack  made  frolic  of  climbing  the  forecastle  steps 
with  tin  pot  in  hand  for  his  pint  of  tea  sweetened 
with  molasses,  into  which  a  spray  of  salt  water 
often  got  mixed,  much  to  his  amusement.  While 
many  a  mishap  of  broken  crockery  and  spilt  drink 
ables  confronted  the  steward  and  cabin  boy  when 
servin0"  the  evening  meal. 

O  o 

A  dark  nimbus  cloud  overtook  the  sun  before  he 
set,  leaving  his  lower  rim  visible  just  beneath  the 
black  mass,  creating  a  most  dismal  effect.  It  Avas 
as  if  a  funeral  pall  had  suddenly  draped  the  whole 
canopy  of  heaven  ;  while  ship  and  sea  Avere  bathed  in 
a  blood-red  flame,  as  it  were  a  very  carnival  of  gore. 

The  crests  of  the  angry  waves  took  fire,  and 
flared  in  the  gale  lurid  as  flambeaus }  casting  a  flick 
ering  reflection  against  the  sky,  and  deepening  the 
shadow-gloom  in  the  trough  of  the  roaring  seas. 


-"•I-'  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

Slowly  the  ugly  rain-cloud  was  burying  the  sun 
before  his  setting  time.  One  brief  moment  the  red 
light  lingered  on  the  gilded  vane  at  the  skysail 
head,  burnishing  the  unsteady  thing  with  a  radiance 
brighter  than  gold.  Slowly  the  pall  erf  Night 
dropped  down  over  the  masts  and  sails ;  glinted  an 
instant  along  the  tarry  shrouds  ;  flung  a  last  rain 
bow  gleam  over  the  sad  faces  in  the  lee  waist  —  and 
was  gone. 

The  very  storm  seemed  hushed  and  appalled,  and 
the  fierce  waves  cowered  like  whipped  curs,  as  the 
black  mandate  stalked  over  the  deep,  terrifying 
every  human  heart  as  if  held  in  the  strong  grip  of 
Death. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

THE  "PEQUOD'S"  WHALE  FIGHT. 

MORE  than  a  week  had  passed  since  the  Fleet- 
wing  experienced  the  gale.  The  weather  had 
been  fine  during  the  interval,  yet  not  the  spout  of  a 
whale  of  any  kind  had  been  seen  since  leaving  Hono 
lulu.  The  ship  was  now  nearing  New-Nantucket, 
a  treeless  sand  island  fifteen  miles  north  of  the 
Equator.  Captain  Lawrence  designed  to  cruise  here 
awhile,  hoping  school-whales  would  show  themselves 
during  the  full  moon. 

An  hour  after  the  mastheads  were  manned,  a  sail 
was  raised  by  the  lookouts  far  away  on  the  weather 
bow,  coming  from  the  direction  of  Nantucket.  It 
was  soon  reported  that  the  sail  had  squared  off 
before  the  wind,  steering  so  as  to  intercept  the 
Fleetwing.  When  this  was  made  known,  Captain 
Lawrence  ordered  the  yards  braced  sharp  up,  and 
bade  the  helmsman  keep  the  ship  close  into  the  wind, 
—  fluttering  the  weather  leaches  of  the  royals,  - 
steering  so  as  to  converge  upon  the  stranger's  course. 

At  the  end  of  an  hour  the  courses  were  brailed  up, 
[53] 


54  THE  ISLE  or  PALMS. 

and  the  main  yards  hauled  aback.  The  lookouts  had 
discovered  that  the  windward  vessel  was  a  whaler, 
which  accounted  for  her  eagerness  to  "speak"  a 
fresh,  new-looking  ship  just  out  of  port,  doubtless 
hoping  to  obtain  fresh  provisions,  and  a  friendly 
word  from  the  dear  home-land. 

While  waiting  for  the  deep-loaded,  snail-creeping 
ship  to  come  down, .it  became  apparent  that  she  was 
an  old  cruiser,  a  long  time  out.  This  was  easily 
determined  by  her  untidy  appearance,  her  rusty 
bends,  the  ragged  copper,  and  the  long  green  eel- 
grass  seen  clinging  to  the  bottom  sheathing,  where 
the  copper  was  gone.  The  sails  were  begrimed  with 
the  smoke  of  many  boilings.  Her  topsails  were 
carelessly  mended  with  ungainly  shaped  patches,  as 
if  even  old  canvas  were  a  scarce  article  on  board. 

Every  boat  on  the  ship's  cranes  showed  evidence 
of  having  been  recently  stoven.  They  were  badly 
mended,  and  puttied  and  re-painted  with  unsuitable 
colors  ;  looking  rough  and  uncouth,  though  in  excel 
lent  keeping  with  the  weary  old  vessel  herself.  A 
remarkable  contrast  to  the  jaunty  appearance  of  the 
Fleetwing,  with  her  neat  smooth-bottomed  boats, 
white  and  dainty  as  if  just  taken  from  the  boat- 
builders.  • 

The  stranger  evidently  could  not  sail  more  than 
six  knots  when  at  her  best;  and  now,  from  present 
appearance,  would  not  out-sail  a  toad  in  a  tar-pot, 
and  it  became  tiresome  work  waiting  tor  her  to  mine 
down.  When  she  came  very  near,  a  rough  looking 


THE    OLD    "  PEQUOtt."  55 

group  of  seamen  were  seen  lounging  over  her  bows, 
and  lying  in  the  staysail  netting ;  their  garments  as 
much  patched  as  the  sails  ;  their  shirts  and  trowsers 
were  adorned  with  more  colors  than  the  rainbow. 

Uncle  Joe  now  discovered  that  it  was  his  old  ship 
«« Pequod,"  of  New  London,  Brown,  master  ;  in  which 
he  had  sailed  forty  years  before.  A  lucky  old  ship. 
Mr.  Bailey  knew  the  vessel  by  many  peculiarities  of 
her  rig  aloft,  and  the  tumble-in,  kettle-bottom  shape 
of  her  hull.  It  was  known  that  she  was  nearly  four 
years  out,  and  at  last  reports  had  taken  three  thou 
sand  barrels  of  sperm  oil ;  part  of  which  had  been 
shipped  home  two  years  previous,  by  home-bound 
whalers. 

The  "  Pequod's"  people  had  no  knowledge  of  the 
Fleetwing.  And  there  was  immense  curiosity  shown 
on  board  of  her,  to  learn  where  such  a  rakish  look 
ing  whaler  would  hail  from.  The  captain,  in  her 
quarter  boat,  and  officers  on  the  fore  yard  were 
using  their  glasses  with  visible  eagerness.  Presently 
her  venerable  old  mate  went  forward,  and  was  seen 
thrusting  his  spyglass  over  the  bow  ;  he  soon  after 
spelled  out  the  name  "Fleetwing,"  and  ran  hastily 
aft  to  report  to  Captain  Brown. 

In  a  few  minutes  the  vessel  came  within  hail. 
Captain  Lawrence  mounted  upon  the  hurricane 
house,  waiting,  by  courtesy,  to  be  hailed  by  Captain 
Brown,  who  sat  in  his  quarter  boat;  with  a  brass 
trumpet  in  hand,  — the  only  visible  thing  which  had 
retained  its  brightness. 


56  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 


"  Who  commands  the  Fleetwing?"  hailed  Brown. 

"  Lawrence  !  " 

"  Hope  you're  very  well,  Captain  Lawrence?" 

"  Well,  thank  you.     How's  Captain  Brown?" 

"  From  fair  to  middlin'.     Got  any  letters  for  us  ?  " 

"No  letters.  Come  aboard  and  get  some  home 
papers." 

"  Thank  ycr.  —  Mr.  Hanks!"  he  called  to  the 
mate,  "luff  the  critter  aback,  an'  clear  away  my 
boat." 

In  a  few  minutes  the  Pequod's  boat  was  lowered, 
and  on  her  way  to  the  Fleetwing.  She  ran  along 
side  to  leeward,  and  the  boatsteerer  Hung  up  his 
warp.  The  manropes  were  held  out  to  Captain 
Brown.  He  seized  them  and  climbed  up  the  side, 
shinned  over  the  monkey  rail  pretty  lively  for  a  man 
of  his  age,  and  there  tarried  a  minute  to  look  about 
upon  the  snow-white  deck  and  polished  brasswork 
His  eyes  opened  wide,  and  he  burst  out  into  a  rude 
guffaw  : 

"Ha  —  ha  —  ha  —  !  Why,  Lawrence,  what  arc 
yer  doin'  here  with  sich  ar  dainty  lookin'  critter  as 
this  ?  Yer  never  can  catch  whales  with  sich  a  dandy 
craft  as  this  'ere."  And  he  sprang  down  off  of  the 
rail  and  shook  hands  with  great  eagerness. 

"  Well,  Captain  Brown,  we  arc  going  to  try  for 
a  voyage." 

The  captains  had  never  met  before,  which  was  a 
little  odd,  as  most  officers  among  the  twentv  thou 
sand  whalemen  meet  in  port  or  at  sea  many  times 


%  DAT'S  MOCHA  DICK,  SAH.  57 

over,  and  many  have  sailed  together  in  some 
capacity.  Brown  knew  Captain  Talbert ;  and  sud 
denly  he  discovered  Uncle  Joe,  who  had  sailed  with 
him  forty  years  previous,  when  the  great  fight  took 
place  with  Mocha  Dick. 

"Hullo!  Joe  Bailey.  Don't  say  you've  got  yer 
sea-tacks  aboard  yet?"  And  the  two  veteran  whale 
men  shook  hands  most  heartily. 

"  O  yis,  Cap'n  Brown.  Dis  chile  am  gitten  quite 
young,  sah." 

"  Haint  tackled  thet  'ere  Devil  whale  ag'in,  hev 
yer,  Joe  ?  " 

"  No,  sah  ;  not  yit.  But  we  uns  hope  tcr  find  'im 
bcfo'  we  kick  de  bucket." 

"Well,  Joe,  I  wish  ter  goodness  yer  might  find 
Mm,  if  yer  wanter.  We've  just  had  two  boats 
stoven  all  tcr  smash,  an'  four  men  killed,  by  a 
thunderin'  big  whale,  with  two  foot  of  his  jaw-end 
crooked  over  ter  starboard." 

"  Dat's  Mocha  Dick,  sah!  Sure  pop,  Cap'n 
Brown.  Dat's  de  ole  critter  what  we  uns  tackled 
forty  year  'go,  sah." 

"  Guess  not,  Bailey.  That  whale  had  no  crook 
in  his  jaw." 

"  It  am  de  same  olc  debble,  sah.  He  broke  de 
jaw  bitin'  inter  de  "  Ann  Alexander,"  arter  he  stove 
'er.  Whar's  he  tuck  hisself  to  now,  sah?"  and  the 
old  hero  became  wild  with  excitement. 

"Headed  off  down  ther  Line,  in  a  big  school  o' 
cows  and  calves,  with  one  of  our  lines  fast  to  him. 


58  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

Durn  it,  Joe  !  you  act  as  if  yer'd  like  ter  tackle  'ini 
ag'in.  But  nary  a  boat  o'  mine  shall  ever  lower  for 
that  infernal  beast.  Why,  man,  he's  full  of  ar  thou 
sand  devils,  an'  came  near  stavin'  the  old  Pequod  ;  — 
an'  where'd  my  bread-an'-butter  bin?  I  tell  yer, 
Bailey,  there  aint  ar  whaleman  living  can  kill  thet 
ugly  cuss  ! " 

"Joe  Bailey  am  de  niggar  dat  wanter  try  once 
mo',  sah.  De  Lawd  am  promis  dis  chile  one  mo' 
hack  at  dat  ole  Debbie  Whale." 

"  Spunky  as  ever,  Joe.  But  I  tell  yer  ter  keep 
clear  o'  thet  beast,  or  you're  ar  <le:id  man."  And 
Brown  turned  abruptly  away,  a  little  roiled  at  his 
old  shipmate's  persistence. 

"How's  everything  up  to  Bedford,  Captain  Law 
rence?     The  Acushnet  haint  tuck  fire  yit,  has  it?" 
*'  Not  yet.     Waiting  for  your  big  voyage  to  arrive 
home,  before  they  apply  the  torch." 

"  What  was  ile  wuth,  when  you  sailed?" 
"  About  a  dollar  and  seventy  cents  a  gallon." 
"Goodness!     Gone    up,   ha?     Thank    fortin    for 
that  streak  o'  luck.'1 

And  thus  the  two  men  chatted  through  the  day. 
When  they  came  to  part,  after  supper,  Lawrence 
asked  Captain  Brown  what  port  he  should  make 
next ;  and  was  told  that  he  was  about  leaving  for 
Honolulu,  but  would  now  wait  a  week  and  cruise 
with  the  Fleetwing.  To  this,  Captain  Lawrence  at 
once  objected,  saying  that  Brown's  recent  en 
counter  with  the  mad  whale  would  not  make  the 


CUU'OUS    PRO  VENDER.  50 

Pequod's  crew  good  company  for  the  Fleetwing's 
men.  So  they  agreed  not  to  meet  again. 

Braybrook  and  his  larboard  boat's  crew  spent  the 
day  aboard  the  Pequod,  and  came  back  greatly  dis 
gusted  with  all  they  saw,  especially  with  the  food 
they  had  been  compelled  to  eat  while  away.  The 
so  called  coffee  that  was  served  at  supper,  instead 
of  tea,  was  made  from  mouldy  corn  brought  from 
home  four  years  before,  to  feed  pigs  on. 

The  ship's  bread  was  amusingly  described  by 
Buntline. 

"  Cur'ous  stuff,  matey.  That  'ere  hard  tack  wuz 
colonized  wid  weavils  an'  long  white  worms,  big 
'nough  to  catch  a  albicore  wid.  AYhy,  lads,  them 
durned  biscuit  wuz  runnin'  round  ther  fo'castle, 
like  ar  lot  o'  creepin'  turtles.  Kind  o'  handy  stuff 
though.  It  had  got  so  familiar  wid  de  crew  thct  it 
allers  cum  at  their  call,  when  hungry ;  sort  o'  impa_ 
tient  like  to  get  housed  in  ther  stomach  of  sum  nice 
sailor  Jack.  Cur'ous  provender,  that  'ere  New  Lon 
don  bread." 

The  description  of  the  Pequod's  terrible  fight  with 
Mocha  Dick,  had  the  effect  to  horrify  the  crew  of 
the  Fleetwing,  and  greatly  cooled  the  ardor  of  the 
officers  for  a  tussle  of  that  kind  ;  all  but  Uncle  Joe, 
who  was  made  more  fierce  than  ever.  For  days 
after  many  of  the  crew  were  compjetely  panic- 
stricken  at  the  thought  of  meeting  such  a  murder 
ous  monster  as  had  been  described. 

At  the  first  moment's  interview  Bailey  could  ol> 


GO  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

tain  he  urged  the  captain  to  keep  the  ship  down  the 
Line  in  search  of  Mad  Dick.  The  fearless  old  whale 
man  was  beside  himself  to  have  a  fight  with  the  mud 
monster,  which  was  yearly  committing  such  depre 
dations  among  the  ships  and  boats  of  the  whole  fleet. 
For  the  first  time,  Mr.  Bailey  now  disclosed  to 
the  captain  that  this  tragic  event  of  the  Pequod's 
was  a  part  of  his  whale-vision  at  Honolulu.  In  fact, 
this  very  death  struggle  with  Mocha  Dick  was  taking 
place  at  the  instant  Uncle  Joe's  prophecy  was  made 
clear  to  his  mind,  in  the  far-away  island  of  Oahu. 

In  reply,  Captain  Lawrence  explained  to  his  in 
spired  old  officer  that  the  seamen  had  become  so 
badly  affected  by  the  sad  occurrence  that  the  true 
policy  would  be  to  drop  all  talk  about  the  affair, 
and  to  cruise  quietly  hereabout  for  a  week,  until 
the  terrorized  crew  could  partly  outlive  the  recent 
norror. 

The  captain  further  confessed  to  Mr.  Bailey  that 
he  would  himself  like  to  be  well  quit  of  this  whole 
business.  That  he  had  compelled  Brown  to  make 
choice  of  some  opposite  direction  in  which  to  cruise, 
so  that  the  ships  were  separated  beyond  all  chance 
of  meeting. 

The  next  afternoon  Nantucket  was  raised  from  the 
masthead.  The  ship  was  run  close  in  under  the  lee 
of  the  barren  sand  island,  the  main  yards  laid  aback, 
and  two  boats  were  lowered  away  and  sent  ashore. 
Braybrook  and  Morey  understood  that  they  went 
in  ostensibly  to  gather  birds'  egjrs  and  catch  turtle, 


ASHORE    ON    THE    ISLAND.  61 

but  in  reality  they  went  to  make  a  little  diversion 
for  the  men,  hoping  to  somewhat  abate  the  demoral 
ized  effect  of  the  Pequod's  whale  fight. 

On  the  succeeding  day,  after  cruising  about  till 
noon,  two  other  boats  were  permitted  to  go  ashore 
for  an  afternoon,  tramping  about  to  catch  birds  and 
turtles,  and  bathing  in  the  gentle  surf  on  the  wind 
ward  shore. 


CHAPTER   IX. 

BATTLE    OF    THE    SEA-MONSTERS. 

71  BOUT  a  week  after  parting  with  the  Pequod, 
f\  a  most  singular  and  frightful  affair  occurred 
on  Nantucket.  The  event  had  the  effect,  in  spite  of 
all  Captain  Lawrence's  previous  precautions,  to  add 
greatly  to  the  demoralized  condition  of  the  crew,  — 
something  that  could  never  be  obliterated  from  the 
mind  in  a  lifetime. 

The  Flcetwing  had  been  standing  off-and-on  as 
usual  to  the  south  of  the  island,  through  the  early 
part  of  the  night.  About  midnight,  during  the 
dense  darkness  before  moon-rise,  while  the  ship  was 
very  near  in  to  the  shore,  and  about  tacking  off, 
suddenly  a  tremendous  uproar  took  place  on  "the 
sand-spit,  that  alarmed  every  soul  on  board.  A 
terrific  battle  was  being  fought  between  some  vast 
monsters  of  the  deep.  So  terrifying  was  the  noise, 
that  it  seemed  as  if  all  the  foul  demons  of  the  nether 
world  had  crawled  forth  from  the  sea  to  re-possess 
themselves  of  the  earth. 

The  frequent  pauses  in  the  fight  were  only  a  little 

[62] 


THE    FIGHTING    SEA-BEASTS. 


63 


less  appalling  than  the  battle.  The  savage  growls 
and  labored  breathing  of  some  deep-voiced  creature, 
were  responded  to  by  the  hissing,  clucking  noise  of 
another  monster.  Prelusive  bickerings,  preparatory 
to  the  fierce  conflict  that  soon  began  in  earnest, 
which  was  accompanied  by  the  most  unearthly  out 
cries  that  ever  invaded  the  human  ear.  A  mingling 
of  shrieks,  snarlings,  and  bellowings  similar  to  that 
of  a  goaded  bull ;  added  to  which  were  the  screams 
of  the  vast  cloud  of  sea-birds  that  hovered  over  the 
combatants.  The  sandy  hides  of  the  beasts  grated 
like  two  millstones,  while  their  rough  bodies  rasped 
against  each  other  during  the  deadly  clench. 

Though  it  was  clear  starlight,  and  so  still  that 
every  movement  on  the  sand  could  be  distinctly 
heard,  nothing  but  an  indefinite  outline  of  the  com 
batants  could  be  seen.  Occasionally  a  monstrous 
creature  raised  himself  fifty  feet  into  the  air,  blotting 
out  the  lowclown  starlight  by  a  body  big  as  the 
mizzen  topsail,  and  shaped  liked  a  vast  spider,  lifted 
on  numerous  legs  large  as  a  topmast. 

While  visible,  this  beast  was  very  active,  keeping 
up  a  clawing,  swaying,  pecking  motion ;  supple 
mented  by  a  pawing  movement,  like  that  of  an 
enraged  bull,  sending  cartloads  of  loose  sand  and 
shell  into  the  air,  which  fell  in  showers  that  rattled 
like  hail  stones.  After  uprearing  a  few  minutes  in 
this  manner,  the  gigantic  beast  would  quickly  squat 
back  to  the  level  of  the  sand  dunes  and  disap- 
pear» 


()4  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

The  opposing  fiend,  one  or  more,  —  for  at  times 
there  seemed  to  be  many, — was  very  differently 
formed  from  his  antagonist ;  looming  in  the  deceptive 
starlight  like  a  many-headed  serpent,  with  a  vast 
body  large  as  the  mainmast.  This  writhing,  con 
torting  creature  closely  followed  every  moment  of 
his  foe ;  swaying  backward  and  forward,  ducking 
low  down,  or  rearing  high  above  his  antagonist,  till 
at  length  the  two  grappled  in  a  long  close  conflict, 
which  was  renewed  again  and  again.  This  would 
end  by  their  falling  flat  on  the  sand,  breathing  with 
a  loud,  harsh,  suffocating  sound  while  they  lay 
clenched  in  a  deadly  grapple. 

At  length,  after  an  hour  and  a  half  of  such  conten 
tion,  the  strength  of  the  contestants  waned,  and  the 
battle  gradually  receded  toward  the  opposite  shore, 
until  the  splashing  water  showed  that  the  retreating 
beasts  had  gone  off  fighting  into  the  sea. 

Every  soul  in  the  ship  was  on  deck,  or  in  the 
rigging,  during  the  hideous  wrangling  of  these 
monstrosities  of  the  sea  ;  and  an  indefinable  terror 
possessed  every  one  on  board.  It  was  a  truly 
terrifying,  ghostly  event,  which  could  not  fail  to 
greatly  intensify  the  previous  superstitions  of  the 
crew. 

Without  waiting  for  daylight  the  ship  was  kept 
away  before  the  wind,  in  the  direction  of  the  King 
Mills  group.  Captain  Lawrence  concluded. that  of 
two  evils  he  would  choose  the  least.  The  Mocha 
Dick  scare  was  bad  enough,  but  this  last  affair  was 


SPOOKS    AND    BOGLES.  65 

worse,  and  the  vicinity  of  Xantucket  must  ever 
remain  a  bogy  place  for  the  Eleetwing's  crew. 

The  croakers  of  the  forecastle  had  an  unfailing 
subject  for  future  debates,  and  many  were  the  ridic 
ulous  opinions  expressed  about  the  personality  and 
habitat  of  the  Xantucket  demons.  A  majority  of 
the  worst  element,  with  English  Bill  at  their  head, 
were  outspoken  in  their  belief  that  the  whole  affair 
arose  out  of  Joe  Bailey's  sermon,  —  Bill's  animosity 
for  the  man  leading  him  to  deem  preaching  against 
Satan  a  most  unsuitable  subject  for  sea-going  people, 
Jack  being  in  such  easy  reach  of  the  devil. 

Even  Buntline  conformed  to  the  prevailing  opinion 
that  it  was  not  safe  for  sailors  to  speak  disrespect 
fully  of  any  evil  spirits,  while  afloat,  as  they  Avere 
so  sure  to  retaliate.  Tom's  thoughts  were  probably 
groping  about  among  the  same  category  of  ideas  ; 
but  the  brave  fellow  had  a  noble  habit  of  subordi 
nating  his  own  superstitions,  and  arguing  among  the 
sailors  from  the  stand-point  which  he  knew  Captain 
Lawrence  would  approve  of,  in  any  matter  that  trans 
pired  on  board.  So  he  sternly  interposed  his  views 
in  this  case  :  — 

"  Avast  ther,  Bill  Brown  !  Belay  thet  'ere  British 
gawspel  wid  ar  round-turn.  You  bin  argufy  in'  to 
them  clurned  spoonies  'bout  spooks  an'  bogies  jist 
long  'nough." 

"Duz  yer  mean  ter  sez,  Tom,  thet  them  'ere 
foughtin'  cusses  wan't  Devils  from  'ell  ?  " 

"  Sposin'  they  wuz,  jist  fur  argufication.     Don't 


6(>  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

yer  kno',  Bill,  thet  if  them  foughtin'  beastes  wuz 
ther  head  devil,  an'  all  his  lolly  pop  critters,  frum 
tophet,  thet  our  ole  Uncle  Joe  am  'nough  fur  um  ?  " 

"  How  duz  yer  make  thet  out?"  ventured  Bill. 

"  Why,  ain't  it  one  o'  ther  ten  commandments, 
*  Satan  abhors  holy  water'?  An'  now,  Bill,  don't 
yer  see  thet  ar  good  sarmon  frum  Uncle  Joe  am  thev 
best  safeguard  fur  the  Fleetwing's  boys  ?  " 

"O  Tom!"  interposed  Buntline,  aghast  with 
fear.  "  I>on't  yer  go  ter  speakin'  up  loud,  thet 
way,  agin  ole  Nick,  nor  any  o'  his  'spectable  peo 
ples."  Ben  never  assumed  quite  the  courage  to 
speak  of  Satan  in  any  but  a  pleasantly  modified 
term,  after  the  mock  evangelical  methods. 

"  Shut  up,  Ben.  Nuther  you  nor  Bill  am  edi- 
cated  fellers,  an'  can't  be  'spected  ter  argufy  'bout 
gawspel  matters.  Didn't  cap'n  sez  ter  me,  ther  last 
trick  at  ther  wheel,  'Torn,'  —  sez  'e  —  *  don't  yer 
let  ther  boys  take  any  foolish  idee  'bout  thet  bogy 
affair  on  ther  Island.'  So  yer  see,  maties,  it  am 
jess  foolish  ter  be  argufyin'  so  much  'bout  it." 

Late  one  afternoon  at  the  end  of  the  week,  the 
tree-tops  on  Woodle  island,  one  of  the  King  Mills 
group,  were  seen  emerging  above  the  sea-tops. 
When  the  ship  approached  the  low-lying  island, 
hundreds  of  overjoyed  natives  were  seen  running 
toward  the  south  shore  to  launch  their  canoes  to 
be  in  readiness  to  paddle  alongside  when  the  vessel 
arrived.  Children  were  gathering  shells,  women 
were  catching  fowl  and  small  pigs,  and  bovs  wore 


NEWS    OF    MOCHA    DICK. 

climbing  palm-trees  for  cocoa-nuts, —  all  of  which 
were  ever  found  available  to  barter  with  ships  for 
cheap  calico,  tobacco,  knives  and  fish-hooks. 

The  Fleet  wing  ran  close  in  to  the  coral  beach, 
where  the  white  reef  is  as  bold  to  approach  as  the 
wharves  of  a  seaport.  It  was  not  Captain  Lawrence's 
intention  to  remain  long  among  this  group.  He 
stopped  chiefly  to  inquire  about  whales,  as  school- 
whales  were  sometimes  found  plentiful  close  along 
the  shores  of  these  squid-breeding  islands.  When 
the  ship  came  within  hail,  the  natives  began  to  shout 
lustily:  "  Big  whale!  Big  whale  !" 

This  intelligence  led  Captain  Lawrence  to  luff  off 
shore  with  head  yards  aback,  and  let  the  natives  come 
aboard  to  tell  the  news,  and  trade  all  they  had  to 
dispose  of,  —  as  young  pigs  and  spring  chickens  are 
ever  welcome  to  a  ship's  larder. 

While  the  natives  were  trading,  the  officers  learned 
from  reliable  chiefs  that  about  a  week  before  a  great 
many  cows  and  calves  passed  close  along-shore, 
followed  the  next  day  by  a  monstrous  bull  whale. 
Further  questioning  showed  that  the  whale  had  sev 
eral  irons  in  him,  a  long  whale-line,  and  the  frayed 
end  of  a  shorter  line.  Both  the  school-whales  and 
the  lone  bull  were  heading  along  the  Equator  to  the 
west.  This  stirring  news  led  the  captain  to  send 
away  the  Kanakas  and  keep  the  ship  on  her  course. 

During  the  week  following,  the  wind  held  light 
and  steady,  and  the  weather  remained  mild  and  clear. 
The  course  was  varied,  that  the  ship  might  pass  close 


68  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

to  Atlantic  island,  where  the  natives  reported  that 
for  two  days,  during  the  past  week,  the  island  had 
been  surrounded  by  sperm  whales. 

Steering  on  a  W.  N.  TV.  course  for  five  days,  the 
Fleet  wing  ran  among  a  cluster  of  coral  reefs,  in 
every  stage  of  formation ;  with  an  occasional  small 
uninhabited  island,  only  a  few  feet  above  sea-level, 
yet  abounding  with  fruitful  shrubs  and  cocoa-nut 
trees.  No  one  on  board,  but  Uncle  Joe,  had  ever 
cruised  here  before.  It  was  a  vast  nest  of  unknown 
dangers,  which  even  the  best  Admiralty  charts  de 
scribed  as  :  "  Reefs  hereabout." 

For  many  days  the  ship  carefully  worked  her  way 
through  the  countless  reefs  and  chartless  isles.  Here 
man  can  most  readily  comprehend  how  young  Crea 
tion  first  rose  in  primal  beauty  to  joy  the  Maker's 
soul.  It  was  a  fresh-born,  unpeopled  world,  new- 
grown  with  fruit-bearing  trees  and  flowers  ;  where 
even  the  land-birds  seemed  new-created  for  the  un 
sullied  isles,  for  they  were  timidless,  and  tame  as  in 
the  Eden  days,  fearlessly  seeking  companionship 
with  man. 

There  is  an  eloquence  in  the  vast  solitude  of  such 
an  unknown  sea  which  the  restless  cosmopolitan 
may  not  comprehend  ;  but  wrhen  such  an  expanse 
of  trackless  ocean  is  found  embellished  with  young 
primeval  worlds,  untrammelled  by  the  hand  of  man, 
the  softened  heart  of  the  new-comer  prompts  him 
to  reverently  bare  the  head,  and  stand  humbled 
and  abased  in  the  presence  of  God's  handiwork. 


THE    EDEN    ISLES.  69 

Here  man  finds  himself  wishing  that  he  might  be 
recast  —  reannealed  of  his  human  dross  —  and  left 
pure  and  perfect  to  populate  the  new-found  isles, 
that  their  ever-green  glades  might  some  day  echo 
to  the  song  and  prayer  of  purity  and  peace, — no 
impossible  Utopia,  as  Avitness  Pitcairn's  Pirate  Isle. 

After  the  Fleetwing  cleared  the  first  group  of 
reefs,  she  stretched  out  into  a  clearer  sea,  in  the 
direction  of  more  scattered  islands.  It  was  one  of 
those  perfect,  cloudless  days  only  known  in  the 
mid-most  Pacific.  The  atmosphere  was  so  clear 
that  not  a  shimmer  of  haze  blurred  the  clear-cut 
horizon.  The  blended  azure  of  sea  and  sky  Avas  of 
such  kindred  color  that  the  keenest  eye  could  not 
detect  where  ended  the  one,  or  began  the  other. 

So  deeply  blue  was  the  ocean  that  neither  a  skip 
jack  nor  a  dolphin  could  leap  from  the  water  in 
chase  of  the  flying-fish,  but  their  little  splash  of 
foam  was  instantly  detected  by  the  watchful  look 
outs  at  the  mastheads. 

Even  an  albatross,  miles  away,  too  far  off  for  hu 
man  eye  to  distinguish  his  brown  back  when  flying, 
would  be  seen  at  once  if  he  chanced  to  turn  his  white 
belly  to  the  sun  ;  for  the  least  speck  of  white  against 
the  blue  background  attracted  instant  attention. 

At  length  this  glorious  tropic  day  went  down. 
The  glowing  west  shut  out  the  fiery  sun  with  bars  of 
molten  gold,  disclosing  to  admiring  eyes  a  sea  of 
crimson  cloud-islands  —  beautiful  as  the  Elysian 
dream-land  of  our  dreams.  Then  the  brief  twilight 


70  THE    ISLE    OF    1'AMIS. 

came,  with  its  shimmer  of  purple  gauze,  and  soon  a 
veil  of  gossamer  was  dropped  down  over  the  scene, 
and  the  cooing  trades  hushed  their  lullaby  into  the 
softest  breathings,  still  fragrant  with  the  perfumes 
of  the  Windward  Isles,  where  the  birds  were  now 
twittering  their  vespers  unto  the  stars  which 
glittered  in  the  sky,  awaiting  the  coming  of  the 
summer  moon. 


CHAPTER    X. 

CRUISING    FOR    MOCHA    DICK. 

FOR  the  first  time  since  leaving  the  Sandwich 
Islands  the  Fleetwing  now  shortened  sail,  and 
lay-to  for  the  night.  The  ship  had  arrived  upon 
the  whale-ground  secretly  designated  by  Uncle  Joe 
before  leaving  Honolulu.  During  most  of  the  pas 
sage  down  the  Equator  the  weird  old  prophet  had 
been  humorous  and  cheerful  as  ever  ;  but  for  several 
days  past  the  pious  old  whaleman  had  been  less 
loquacious  and  more  prayerful  than  usual.  He 
seemed  disposed  not  to  be  communicative  with  any 
one  but  Captain  Lawrence,  who  was  the  only  person 
in  his  confidence,  as  to  the  whereabouts  of  Mocha 
Dick. 

The  history  of  the  old  veteran  was  known  in  every 
whaling  port,  yet  such  is  the  superstition  of  seafar 
ing  people,  that  hundreds  of  officers  and  seamen 
had  refused  to  embark  on  the  same  vessel  with 
this  most  exemplary  of  men.  So  wonderful  and 
well  attested  had  been  his  prophecies  about  whales, 
that  his  illiterate  class  feared  he  was  in  league  with 


72  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

Satan,  and  looked  upon  him  with  awe  and  appre 
hension. 

The  tragic  story  of  Joe  Bailey's  terrible  whale- 
fight,  forty  years  before,  was  the  frequent  theme  of 
every  whaler's  forecastle.  All  on  board  the  Fleet- 
wing  knew  also  that  Bailey  shipped,  on  every  vessel 
in  which  he  sailed,  with  the  special  mission  of 
hunting  the  mad  whale.  Though  he  had  never  yet 
found  him,  he  had  frequently  been  close  upon  his 
track,  — as  in  the  case  of  the  Pequod's  encounter,  — 
and  he  had  always  proved  a  most  fortunate  accession 
on  all  previous  voyages. 

In   the    former    savage    encounter  with   the    mad 

o 

monster  Uncle  Joe  became  so  dreadfully  crippled  in 
legs,  arms  and  eye,  that  he  bore  about  him  an  ever- 
present  reminder  of  the  solemn  vow  then  made  :  To 
follow  upon  Mocha's  track  so  long  as  he  could  pull 
an  oar,  or  dart  a  lance. 

Or  to  give  the  vow  as  it  was  probably  recorded 
above  :  "  O  Lawd  !  'sense  dis  wicked  niggar  fur  nil 
de  past  cussedness.  An',  hebenly  Fader,  leninio 
foller  on  de  track  ob  dat  ar  Mocha  Dick,  long  ez  dish 
chile  can  pull  de  oar,  an'  dart  de  lance." 

According  to  Bailey's  own  account  of  those  Jong- 
gone  days  he  was  then  a  reckless,  wicked  man, 
only  tolerated  ani:>ng  whalers  because  he  could  dart 
farther,  and  kill  more  whales,  than  any  other  man  in 
the  fleet.  He  declared  that  his  first  knowledge  of 
God,  heaven  and  the  angels  came  to  him  in  the 
glorious  trance-like  dream,  while  he  was  floating 


DE  LAWD'S  NIGGAH.  73 

about,   apparently   dead,    in   a   snarl   of  whale-line, 
broken  oars  and  paddles. 

Several  of  bis  crew  were  killed,  and  bad  sunk,  or 
been  eaten  by  sharks  ;  and  not  until  the  two  wounded 
survivors  and  most  of  the  boat  gear  had  been  picked 
up,  did  the  rescuers  deign  to  drag  aboard  the  "  de'd 
niggar,"  for  the  humane  purpose  of  burial.  As  the 
old  man  quaintly  expressed  it  in  his  negro  lingo  : 
"  Dat's  de  time  Mocha  Dick  done  kill  de  wicked 
niggar  wot  wuz  in  dish  chile  in  dose  days.  But, 
sah,  dis  yere  brack  man  am  de  Lawd's  niggar,  wot 
den  tuck  de  place  ob  dat  ar  udder  miser'ble 
Sambo." 

Though  the  Flectwing's  crew  were  not  aware  that 
they  were  now  approaching  the  very  spot  where 
Bailey  once  tackled  the  monster  whale,  yet  there 
was  a  current  report  drifting  about  the  ship  that  the 
old  prophet  had  promised  that  whales  should  soon 
be  seen.  This  prophecy  was  further  borne  out,  to 
their  apprehension,  by  Uncle  Joe's  brooding,  trance- 
like  appearance  during  the  past  week  ;  times  when 
the  most  superstitious  of  the  crew  dare  not  approach 
the  old  wizard. 

In  the  ol;l  man's  talk  during  the  last  dog-watch, 
he  had  plainly  said  to  his  Portuguese  boat  steerer  : 
"Darfore,  if  dis  chile  am  rite,  brudder  Jose,  dc 
'parm  whales  will  pop  up,  'fore  long,  'bout  'ere  sum- 
whar.  So  yo'  uns  mus'  pray  de  Lawd  ter  hold  us 
in  de  holler  ob  .de  hand,  when  yo'  go  ter  bunk. 
'Cause  yoz  ar  awful  wicked  sinner,  Jose  Vcrd." 


74  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

Such  was  the  force  and  solemnity  of  this  injunc 
tion  that  the  huge  barbarian  fell  to  counting  his 
beads  with  unusual  alacrity,  though  the  reproach 
had  been  dinned  in  his  ears  a  hundred  times  during 
the  previous  voyage.  Jose  was  a  fierce,  brutal 
man,  yet  he  held  his  old  boat  header  in  the  utmost 
veneration  and  fear,  fully  believing  that  he  was  a 
proselyte  of  Satan,  and  could  influence  the  devil  to 
destroy  whomsoever  he  would. 

When  Mr.  Bailey  was  questioned  as  to  the  likeli 
hood  of  such  a  man  as  Jose  ever  being  redeemed, 
his  reply  showed  the  humanity  of  the  dear  old  soul : 
"  Yis,  sah  !  hope  ob  dat  niggar  yit.  'Dough  Jose's 
heart  am  brack  ez  brudder  Cain's,  dat  ar  po'  chile 
hab  got  ar  shinin'  sole  down  in  de  gizzard  sumwhar. 
Bimeby  Gord  A'mighty  will  fish  it  up,  an'  snake 
brudder  Jo'  inter  glory  !  " 

To  Uncle  Joe's  more  intelligent  and  well  meaning 
shipmates  there  was  something  very  exemplary  in 
these  Christian  precepts.  He  was  therefore  greatly 
commiserated  for  his  deformity,  loved  for  his  simple, 
trustful  piety,  and  respected  for  his  marvellous  pro 
phetic  wisdom, — characteristics  which  appalled  the 
superstitious  crew. 

During  the  previous  day  the  captain  had  been 
requested  to  draft  the  old  man's  will,  disposing  of 
his  effects  on  board,  and  the  snug  little  sum  that  had 
been  shipped  home  in  the  ship  "  Xcllie  Lawrence," 
at  Honolulu.  Knowing  of  no  living  relatives,  the 
old  hero  had  bequeathed  most  of  his  property  to 


THE    MOCHA    DICK    GROUND.  75 

charitable  institutions  favoring  his  race.  He  had 
given  Captain  Lawrence  his  sea-charts,  and  quaint 
old  journals  about  whales  and  their  cruising  grounds 
—  most  valuable  records  of  their  kind. 

Captain  Lawrence  became  greatly  attached  to  his 
old  officer  during  the  previous  voyage  ;  while  Bray- 
brook  and  Morey,  men  not  favorably  impressed  by 
any  one's  piety,  always  ridiculed  Bailey's  power  of 
second-sight.  Consequently,  not  being  able  to  con 
fide  Uncle  Joe's  sayings  and  doings  to  his  officers, 
Captain  Lawrence  continued  to  withhold  all  knowl 
edge  of  the  supposed  proximity  of  Mocha  Dick. 
And  for  the  further  reason  that  many  of  the  men, 
and  one  of  the  inferior  officers,  would  become  panic- 
stricken  by  the  news. 

When  Mr.  Bailey  gave  directions  about  his  will, 
he  firmly  expressed  an  all-pervading  certainty  of  his 
own  death,  together  with  that  of  several  others.  So 
that  the  captain  himself  could  not  help  being  greatly 
depressed  by  the  solemn  event,  feeling  as  if  the  grip 
of  doom  had  fastened  upon  them  all. 

The  whale-ground  on  which  the  Flcetwing  was  to 
cruise  was  remote  from  the  marts  of  commerce, 
unfrequented  by  merchant  vessels,  and  but  rarely 
visited  by  whalers.  It  was  in  the  extreme  southern 
track  of  the  old  Spanish  galleons,  in  the  far-gone 
centuries. 

During  the  winter  months  the  rich  argosies  of 
those  days  came  well  south,  when  making  "passage 
from  Acapulco  to  Manila,  on  account  of  the  strono- 


Till:    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 


tnidcs,  vainly  hoping  to  escape  the  terrible  ty 
phoons, —  far-reaching  hurricanes,  induced  by  the 
semi-yearly  changes  of  monsoons  in  the  Indian  and 
China  seas. 

This  lonely  sea  was  a  prolific  nursery  for  coral 
reefs  and  small,  newly-clad  islands,  found  in  all 
stages  of  growth,  —  from  little  isles  with  a  single 
cocoa-nut  tree  to  islands  overgrown  with  the  foliage 
of  every  tropic  fruit  and  flower. 

Fortunately  the  usual  weather  hereabout  is  mild. 
By  the  aid  of  moonlight,  and  with  constant  watch 
fulness,  a  ship  can  avoid  getting  entangled  among 
the  countless  reefs  —  whether  submerged,  just  a-wash, 
or  emerging  into  little  snow-white  islets. 

There  is  one  other  element  of  danger  that  induces 
whalers  to  avoid  the  place.  An  ugly  equatorial 
current  is  found  setting  toward  the  Suloo  sea,  vary 
ing  in  its  velocity,  and  most  changeable  in  its  direc 
tion —  being  constantly  influenced  by  the  moon-phases 
and  the  changing  seasons. 

As  the  wind  on  the  Equator  usually  takes  its 
direction  from  the  prevailing  currents  —  changing 
with  every  deviation  of  the  current — it  follows  that 
a  great  variety  of  drift-seeds,  and  many  rooted 
plants,  float  on  the  varying  wind  and  water  'from 
far-away  islands  to  these  emerging  reels.  This, 
together  with  that  brought  by  migrating  land-birds, 

which  always  fly  with  the  wind,  —  soon  creates 

:i  dense  tropical  growth  on  these  new-born   islands. 
The    captain  had  given  orders    to   keep  the  ship 


MOON    INFLUENCE.  77 

tack -and-tack  through  the  night.  The  western  cur 
rent  made  it  imprudent  to  lay  aback,  as  the  ship 
needed  to  be  kept  in  motion  to  retain  steerage-way, 
and  be  under  command  when  approaching  the  reefs. 
Even  then  it  required  the  utmost  vigilance,  as  the 
white  coral  simulated  the  moonbeam  so  that  the 
difference  could  not  be  determined  until  quite  near. 

Though  the  first  day's  cruising  had  passed  with 
out  seeing  sperm  whales,  yet  numerous  favorable 
indications  were  everywhere  observed.  Albicore 
and  skipjack  crowded  about  the  ship  in  countless 
numbers,  and  were  easily  tempted  by  a  bare  hook 
and  a  white  rag.  Sea-turtle  were  also  plentiful,  and 
a  number  had  been  caught  by  lowering  the  boats 
and  darting  a  lance  through  their  shells,  to  hold 
them  while  they  were  secured  for  hoisting  aboard. 

It  was  calculated  that  the  moon  would  full  a  little 
after  midnight.  Her  declination  compared  very 
nearly  with  the  ship's  present  latitude,  which  would 
bring  the  lunar-orb  directly  in  the  zenith  at  night- 
meridian.  Furthermore,  as  the  perigee  also  coin 
cided  with  the  moon's  maturity,  it  followed  that  her 
most  potential  influence  now  predominated.  This 
must  impart  renewed  energy  to  every  living  tiling, 
especially  to  fish-life  and  flesh-creatures  of  the  teem 
ing  waters. 

It  was  a  favorite  theorem  of  Mr.  Bailey's  whale- 
ology,  that  cachalots  hibernated  at  the  bottom  of  the 
ocean  during  the  quarters  of  the  moon  ;  there  gorg 
ing  themselves  with  the  juicy  flesh  of  the  squid,  —  a 


78  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

cumbrous  mass   of  inanimate   fish-life,  often   found 
many  times  larger  than  the  whales  themselves. 

But  when  the  magnetic  influence  of  the  full-grown 
moon  quickens  the  gorged  whales  into  life  again, 
then  up  they  come  to  the  surface,  breaching  and 
spouting,  frolicsome  as  lambs,  and  fatted  to  the 
best  condition  in  which  they  are  found.  This  theory 
is  still  maintained  by  some  of  the  most  sagacious 
whalemen  of  the  fleet. 

As  the  midnight  hour  approached,  the  brilliant 
moon  crept  up  her  glowing  path  of  stars  and  crowned 
the  heavens  in  the  fullness  of  her  night ;  calling  up 
the  slumbering  tides  in  her  train,  and  flooding  the 
placid  sea  with  radiance  brighter  than  a  thousand 
diadems.  It  was  indeed  a  wondrous  sight  to  behold 
the  glittering  crests  of  the  little  wavelets  as  they 
rose  into  something  more  than  ripples,  aping  their 
more  noble  fellows  of  a  rougher  sea  for  an  instant, 
and  then  crumbled  back  into  the  golden  effulgence 
beneath  the  moonbeams. 

Mr.  Morey,  the  second  mate,  had  charge  of  the 
middle  watch.  So  far  the  night  had  been  unevent 
ful,  with  the  exception  of  seeing  many  indications 
of  whales,  and  nearly  running  upon  a  corai  red', 
which  lay  just  a-wash  in  the  moonglade.  As  eight 
bells  drew  near  —  the  three  o'clock  termination  of 
the  watch  —  Morey  quietly  entered  the  cabin  to 
make  a  record  of  his  watch  upon  the  log-slate.  It 
was  a  routine  duty  of  the  night-watch,  but  never 
had  the  task  been  executed  with  such  gentle  precau- 


UNCLE  JOE'S  LAST  PRAYER.  79 

tion  as  now.  Every  act  of  this  brusque  officer 
became  subdued  and  reverential.  When  lie  entered 
the  cabin  he  stopped  abruptly,  like  one  awed  and 
agitated  by  some  supernatural  appearance.  He  had 
heard  a  low,  pleading  voice  calling  upon  the  Heav 
enly  Father  in  behalf  of  his  sinful  shipmates  : 

"  A'mighty  Fader  !  ke'p  wid  all  dese  prec'us  chil- 
ern  when  Joe  Bailey  am  gone  ter  glory.  Be  wid 
dem  allurs,  deah  Lawd,  when  I's  heah  no  mo'  ter  ax 
yer  'board.  Bress  de  gude  Fleetwing,  an'  de  deah 
Cap'n  !  Furgiv  Misser  Braybruc,  an'  brudder  Morey, 
dat  dcy  will  not  becum'  sweet  lambs  ob  Jesus.  O, 
dat  dey  would  lub  dy  holy  name,  an'  walk  in  de  lite 
ob  dy  presence. 

"  Spare  dese  po'  sinners,  bressed  Fader,  fo'  dey 
duzn't  kno'  dat  dey  stan',  at  dis  moment,  in  de 
shadder  ob  Death.  Let  up  on  dem,  deah  Lawd; 
give  dem  one  mo1  chance  fo'  glory.  A'mighty  Gord  ! 
promis'  dis  yere  po'  ole  niggar  dish  one  t'ing,  fo' 
Jesus'  sake. 

"Now,  Lawd,  lemme  go  forth  ter  de  battle,  an' 
fought  dat  ole  critter  —  de  crownin'  toil  ob  my  life 
befo'  I  go.  Den  lemme  depart  fo'  glory,  sartin' 
dat  de  deah  bosum  ob  Jesus  'waits  dis  niggar  up 
aloft,  in  de  manshuns  'bove.  Amen!  Glory  to  de 
Fader." 

With  an  unsteady  hand,  Mr.  Morey  wrote  upon  the 
log-slate  :  —  "  Fine,  clear  moonlight.  More  breeze 
coming,  as  the  stars  grow  brighter.  The  moon 
seems  very  bright,  and  much  nearer  than  usual. 


80  THE    ISLE    OF    I'ALMS. 

Her  influence  is  penetrating  and  powerful,  and  has 
drawn  the  face  of  one  of  the  deck-sleepers  into 
great  contortions.  Poor  Billy  !  We  gave  him  the 
lead  of  a  pencil  to  chew,  the  only  known  remedy. 
The  flesh  of  the  dead  albi cores  hanging  in  the  moon- 

O        O 

light  (juivers  as  if  alive.  Ordered  all  the  ti.sh 
thrown  overboard,  in  fear  of  being  poisoned. 

"At  12  o'clock  M.  we  passed  a  small  coral 
island,  with  the  sea  just  a-wrash  on  most  of  it.  Jt 
was  white  as  a  snow-drift,  and  we  took  it  for  moon 
light  till  close  aboard.  Its  only  green  thing  was 
one  low  cocoa-nut  tree.  The  current  is  quickening 
since  the  moon  passed  meridian.  The  sea  is  full  of 
shoals  of  iish  coming  from  off  shore.  At  2  A.M. 
a  school  of  large  blackfish  came  round  the  ship. 
There  is  now  a  smell  of  sperm  whales  all  about  us  ; 
think  we  arc  passing  through  whale-glips.*  So  ends 
the  middle  watch.  Wind  E.  S.  E." 

This  was  all  matter-of-fact  night  work.  ."But  the 
great  splashes  of  hot  tear-drops  falling  upon  the  loir- 
slate  wrere  something  never  before  found  blurring 
the  record  of  the  Elcetwing.  That  pleading  voice 
of  prayer  in  Uncle  Joe's  stateroom  had  awakened 
the  "still  small  voice"  in  the  worldly  heart  of  the 
second  mate. 

The    clock    was    about    striking    three,  when  the 

o 
watch  would  be  changed.      As  Morcy  rose  from  the 

log-slate  he  tarried  before  the  time-piece,  and  after 

*  The  odor  a  whale  leaves  on  the  water  to  indicate  its  presence  to  other 
whales.    A  hubitof  many  land  animals. 


A    WIIITE-SOULEI)    BROTHER.  81 

a  moment's  hesitation  swung  the  hands  back  half 
an  hour  on  the  dial,  and  went  softly  out  on  deck, 
instead  of  calling  out  the  starboard  watch,  as  he  had 
designed. 

If  this  sinful  man  could  not  pray  himself,  he 
could  prolong  the  watch  of  a  white-souled  brother 
that  would  pray  for  him.  It  Avas  the  first  imprint 
of  divine  footsteps  visible  in  the  worldly  heart  of  a 
brave  officer,  that  time  could  not  efface.  Before 
this  never-to-be-forgotten  day  was  ended,  the  sal 
utary  impressions  of  the  night  were  deepened  into 
convictions  that,  inasmuch  as  he  had  prolonged  the 
hour  of  prayer  for  a  Christian  brother,  he  had  pro 
longed  the  number  of  his  own  days  upon  the  sea. 
Morey  was  a  better  man  from  that  hour,  to  the  last 
day  of  his  life. 

When  at  length  eight  bells  rang  out  its  peals  over 
the  glowing  waters,  the  morning  watch  was  called, 
and  the  third  mate  came  out  and  took  charge  of  the 
deck.  As  Morey  passed  the  orders  of  the  night  to 
Uncle  Joe,  he  noticed  the  salt  tracks  of  tears  crys 
tallized  on  the  sable  cheeks  of  the  old  saint.  Why 
such  a  truly  good  man  should  find  cause  to  weep  for 
the  sins  of  others,  the  second  mate  could  not  com 
prehend.  Poor  fellow,  he  had  probably  not  dwelt 
on  the  similar  scene  in  Gethsemane. 

A  touch  of  transcendent  peace  and  loveliness  was 
impressed  upon  the  fair  tropic  night.  The  whole 
aspect  of  sea  and  sky  was  full  of  a  mysterious 
beauty,  softly  attuned  to  every  human  heart.  The 


82 


TIIK    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 


impression  it  made  was  such  as  often  precedes 
momentous  events  — the  one  hallowed  hour  of  peace 
and  holiness  ever  standing  pensive  before  the  swift 
approaching  moments  of  dissolution;  an  hour  of 
exalted  intuitions,  when  man  catches  glimpses  of  his 
diviner  self,  and  perceives  an  urgent  necessity  for 
God-wardness  he  had  never  known  before. 


CHAPTER   XL 

DEATH    OF    THE    MAD    AVTIALE. 

IT  was  now  nearly  four  o'clock  in  the  morning. 
Mr.  Bailey  had  become  the  centre  of  a  little 
cluster  of  his  men  gathered  amidships,  and  was 
instructing  them  as  to  the  probabilities  of  seeing 
whales  during  the  coming  day.  He  had  gone  so  far 
as  to  assert  that  they  would  be  large  ones  ;  at  least 
a  lanre  one.  The  tranquil  morning  was  approach 
ing,  and  the  broad  moonglade  was  glittering  down 
the  west  like  a  bridge  of  gold  floating  on  the  sum 
mer  sea.  So  low  had  the  moon  sunk  into  the 
western  board,  that  sea  and  sky  were  blended 
into  one,  and  her  golden  effulgence  shone  broad 
and  bright  into  the  faces  gathered  in  the  lee 
waist. 

At  that  instant  the  huge  form  of  a  monster  whale 
was  seen  to  shoot  out  into  the  yellow  moonglade, 
hold  its  black  outline  defined  with  terrible  distinct 
ness  for  an  instant, — poised  ninety  feet  in  the 
glimmering  air,  —  and  fall  crashing  back  upon  the 
shining  waters  it  had  emerged  from.  Had  a  thun- 

[83] 


,S  1  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

derbolt  fallen    among    the    seamen    they   could    not 
have  been  more  electrified. 

The  whale  had  breached  out  with  his  ponderous 
side  fair  to  the  view  of  the  men,  so  as  to  present  a 
sharp,  clear  outline  of  head  and  hump  and  fin,  of 
the  most  gigantic  leviathan  of  his  kind.  With  bated 
breath  they  beheld  him  for  an  instant,  then  with  one 
voice  they  were  heard  exclaiming,  "  A  Sperm 
whale  !  a  Sperm  whale  ! 

"  Ay,  and  as  big  as  a  ship  !  "  said  one. 
"Hang  my  toplights  !  that's    Mocha  Dick,  for  I 
saw  the  crook  in  his  jaw,"  exclaimed  an  old  sailor, 
as  he  hurriedly  approached  his  shipmates  amidships. 
"  Yis,   chilun,  dat's  Mocha,   sartin'   sure."      And 
the  old  man's  face   became  radiant  with  reverence 
and  joy.     Baring  his  white  head  to  the  breeze  —  as 
if  standing  in  the  presence  of  his  Maker  —  Uncle  Joe 
exclaimed  : 

"  Tanks,  dcah  Lawd  !  I  kno'd  y</  would  answer 
de  prayers  ob  dis  po'  ole  sinner." 

Those  about  him  assert  that  a  halo  encircled  the 
head  of  the  venerable  old  man  in  that  moment,  while 
his  face  was  turned  to  the  sky.  It  came  like  a  flash, 
and  was  gone  in  an  instant  —  a  brief  shechinah  in 
answer  to  his  invocation,  which  told  to  the  few  that, 
although  he  was  with  them,  he  was  not  wholly  of 

C5 

them. 

A  thrill  of  terror  crept  over  every  soul  at  the 
sudden  announcement  that  the  great  whale  was 
Mocha  Dick,  the  "  Tiger  Whale  of  the  Pacific.'* 


THE    TIGER   WHALE, 


85 


From  him  the  stoutest  ship  was  no  protection  in  his 
angry  moods  of  depredation,  as  his  destruction  of 
the  ships  "Essex"  and  "Ann  Alexander"  would 
show.  And  how  many  more  of  the  missing  vessels 
might  go  to  his  account,  none  could  tell.  His  vast 
head  was  said  to  be  bristling  with  oaken  splinters  of 
the  crushed  vessels  he  had  sent  to  the  bottom,  while 
the  boats  and  brave  men  charged  to  his  dire  account 
were  numerated  by  the  hundreds. 

Again  and  again  the  huge  monster  breached  out 
into  the  moonlight,  and  as  he  came  tumbling  back 
into  the  shining  sea,  there  leaped  up  into  the  glim 
mering  air  a  white  fountain  of  foam,  shivered  and 
shattered  in  the  gorgeous  light,  as  if  millions  of 
gleaming  jewels  were  showering  down  upon  a  river 
of  gold. 

After  the  third  breach  the  whale  straightened 
himself  out  upon  the  water,  and  threw  up  a  large 
spout,  as  tall  as  that  of  a  finback.  If  his  form  had 
not  been  so  distinctly  seen,  displaying  his  shape  so 
v-isibly,  none  would  have  believed  it  could  be  a 
sperm  whale,  his  spout  was  so  large  and  so  strong. 
T\rord  had  been  passed  to  call  Captain  Lawrence  ; 
but  hearing  the  shouts  of  the  seamen  at  the  first 
breach,  he  and  Mr.  Bray  brook  had  got  on  deck  in 
time  to  see  the  last  grand  leap,  as  the  huge  form 
shot  out  into  the  moonbeam  and  hung  suspended  an 
instant,  like  a  black  rock  from  out  the  shimmering 
sea.  As  he  now  lay  quietly  spouting  upon  the 
surface,  within  half  a  mile  of  the  ship,  Mr.  Bailey 


86  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

approached  the  captain,  and  exclaimed,  with  much 
firmness,  "Now,  Cap'n  Lawrence,  I  mus' hold  yer 
to  yer  promise." 

"  Is  that  Mocha  Dick,  think  you,  Uncle  Joe?" 

"  Dar's  no  doubt  'bout  dat,  sah,"  he  replied  with 
exultation. 

"But  we  will  wait  till  daylight  before  we  attack 
him." 

"  No,  Cap'n  !  no,  sah.  Dis  am  de  Lawd's  'pinted 
hour,  —  de  accepted  time  dis  chile's  whol'  life  hab 
bin  y'arnin'  fo'.  Doan  dis'pint  dis  yer  ole  niggar  !  " 

"  Well,  if  it's  best,  Uncle  Joe,  clear  away  and 
tackle  him.  It  will  be  daylight  before  he  can  have 
more  than  one  deep  sound.  But  if  you  strike  him, 
best  keep  clear  of  the  old  tiger  until  daybreak." 

"  I'll  tek  car'  dat  critter  dis  time,  sah.  Now  gude- 
by,  Cap'n.  'Member  Joe  Bailey,  when  we  uns  am 
gone  ter  glory.  Fo'  dis  ole  niggar  lubs  yo'  like  ar 
fader.  Doan  lower,  Cap'n,  fo'  dars  t rubble  ef  yer 
do.  Stay  'board  an'  tek  car'  de  ship ;  fo'  dat  ole 
debble  hab  got  his  eye  on  de  Flectwing."  Tears 
streamed  down  the  old  man's  cheeks  as  he  wrung 
the  captain's  hand,  and  hobbled  toward  his  boat. 

With  a  choking  voice  Captain  Lawrence  bade  the 
dear  old  man  good-by,  and  then  turned  to  the 
mate. 

"  Mr.  Braybrook,  clear  away  the  three  larboard 
boats.  This  is  Mr.  Bailey's  old  friend.  Let  him 
lead  the  whaling,  and  strike  first  boat.  Lower  awav 
carefully." 


BOATS  LOWER  FOR  MOCHA.  87 

These  words  imparted  youth  and  vigor  to  Joe 
Bailey.  He  sprang  like  a  young  boy  to  unloose  the 
after  gripe  of  the  boat,  while  Jose,  who  had  long 
since  caught  the  infection  from  his  old  officer,  with 
equal  celerity  cast  loose  the  forward  fastenings,  and 
as  the  boat  was  hoisted,  and  the  cranes  swung  in 
board,  the  two  brave  men  leaped  into  the  bow  and 
stern  of  the  boat.  She  was  lowered  swiftly  away, 
while  the  eager  crew  climbed  down  the  slideboards, 
and  took  their  places  as  she  reached  the  water. 

The  whale  lay  broadside  to  the  ship,  heading 
along  with  the  vessel.  So,  remembering  they  were 
directly  oft'  his  eye,  Mr.  Bailey  set  his  sail  and 
headed  out  astern  of  the  ship,  for  the  purpose  of 
making  a  wide  circuit,  so  as  to  approach  the  whale 
from  behind.  The  breeze  had  freshened  a  little,  and 
the  swift  boat  soon  took  them  down  the  wind,  until 
they  could  gibe,  and  lutf  around  with  a  beam  wind, 
and  follow  in  the  wake  of  the  unconscious  whale. 

As  they  ran  down  upon  the  moon-side  of  the  whale 
his  broad  back  shone  and  glistened  in  the  night  beam, 
as  he  surged  slowly  through  the  tranquil  sea,  while 
his  large  vapory  spout  unrolled  itself  out  upon  the 
rising  breeze,  and  blew  down  the  lee  like  a  ribbon  of 
iloating  gauze,  glittering  with  tinsel  and  spray.  As 
he  rose  into  better  view  in  spouting,  and  displayed 
his  massive  form  above  the  surface,  it  seemed  more 
a  deed  of  temerity  than  bravery  to  assail  a  creature 
of  such  stupendous  power  for  evil ;  agile  and  cun 
ning  as  an  Indian  of  the  forest,  and  so  ferocious  in 


THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

his  fury  that  never  yet  had  his  assailant  escaped  his 
flukes  or  his  fangs.  Here  was  a  monster  who  easily 
crushed  a  vessel  by  his  breaching,  or  shattered  a  boat 
into  splinters  by  the  lightest  blow  of  his  tail.  Where 
was  the  hope  of  winning  when  battling  with  such  a 
fiend  of  the  sea  ? 

As  they  sailed  up  into  the  oily  wake  of  the  whale 
they  caught  the  strong  spermaceti  smell.  It  was  like 
a  bugle  note  to  the  knights  of  old.  The  faintest 
hearts  began  to  arouse  for  the  occasion,  and  for  the 
moment  fear  abided  not  aboard.  The  men  showed 
their  excitement  by  peeling  for  the  fight.  Some 
stripped  to  shirt  and  pants, — hatless  and  shoeless, — 
deliberately  rolling  their  sleeves  to  the  armpits,  as 
if  they  were  about  to  grapple  with  a  human  giant. 

There  were  no  idle  words  spoken,  no  bravado  in 
their  acts  of  preparation,  for  all  knew  it  was  to  be  a 
death-grapple  with  the  mightiest  monster  of  his  kind. 
They  approached  him  with  the  stern  courage  of  those 
who  pray  before  they  fight  —  the  courage  of  the 
Puritan,  not  the  cavalier. 

The  most  cheerful  soul  among  them  was  Uncle  Joe, 
and  he  was  calm  as  a  clock.  lie  gave  his  few  orders 
in  a  calm  and  tender  voice,  like  one  who  feels  he  is 
about  to  sacrifice  himself  to  his  fellows.  If  Jose, 
the  boat  steerer,  showed  any  nervousness,  it  was  only 
by  trying  several  new  positions,  as  he  braced  hiiiix-lf 
in  the  clumsy-cleat  in  act  to  dart  his  irons.  lie  saw 
carefully  to  his  b;>x  line,  and  poised  his  iron  in  his 
left  hand  with  more  than  usual  care. 


APPROACHING    THE    MONSTER.  89 

They  now  began  to  approach  so  near  that  the 
spouts  sounded  harshly  in  their  ears.  The  snappings 
of  the  spout-hole  were  heard  with  distinctness,  as  he 
inhaled  after  each  spout.  He  lay  plainly  visible  in 
the  moonlight,  exposing  his  broad  back  from  his 
great  hump  to  his  monstrous  head. 

As  the  boat  now  came  very  near  to  him  he  was 
seen  to  curl  up  the  thin  propelling  edges  of  his  flukes 
above  the  surface,  measuring  twenty-five  feet  across 
his  tail.  What  a  weapon  of  defence,  to  snap  like  a 
whip-lash  about  the  head  of  an  assailant  ! 

The  whale  showed  a  corner  of  his  flukes  just  in 
time  to  prevent  the  boat  from  grounding  on  it. 
Uncle  Joe  was  steering  to  pass  over  the  flukes,  as 
usual,  but  he  was  now  warned  to  keep  clear,  and 
pass  around.  Another  moment,  sailing  in  that  direc 
tion,  and  the  battle  was  ended  before  it  had  fairly 
begun.  For  to  have  touched  his  terrible  pedal  mem 
ber,  was  to  receive  a  lift  skyward,  higher  than  Hainan 
hung  of  old. 

One  strong  sweep  of  the  steering  oar,  and  the 
frail  boat  swung  clear  of  the  threatened  destruction 
before  her,  and  then  rounded  the  dread  flukes  in 
act  to  grapple  with  her  prey.  One  stands  appalled 
at  the  hazard  they  run  !  It  was  a  moment  crowded 
with  feelings  so  intense,  that  none  but  the  calmest 
and  bravest  know  the  watchword  of  the  hour,  and 
can  stand  on  the  battlement  of  such  peril,  and  inter 
pret  the  outlook  of  the  soul  ;  a  moment  when  one 
seems  to  be  floating  upward  —  out  of  himself as 


90  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

if  the  disembodied  spirit  took  wings,  while  awaiting 
the  impending  shock  to  her  clay. 

But  one  sentence  was  spoken,  and  that  by  Uncle 
Joe  :  "  Be  sure  an'  car'ful,  Jose,  boy  !  " 

Jose's  reply  was  by  plunging  his  two  swift  irons 
deep  into  the  body  of  the  monster,  till  they  stood 
quivering  erect,  like  two  tiny  masts  in  a  black  hull. 

An  instant's  pause,  as  if  he  were  shocked  by  the 
blow,  and  out  flashed  his  great  flukes  into  the  moon 
light,  striking  back  upon  the  water  until  the  night 
air  resounded  with  the  blows.  With  a  few  swift, 
ponderous  blows,  he  battered  the  glittering  sea  into 
a  mountain  of  foam,  then  pitched,  and  went  down 
into  the  boiling  deep  with  a  rush. 

The  whale  had  lain  and  watched  the  ship  to  wind 
ward  of  him,  attributing  all  noise  he  might  have 
heard  to  the  proximity  of  the  vessel.  lie  had 
known  nothing  of  the  sharp  boat's  approaching 
him  under  sail  until  he  had  felt  the  keen  barbs 
piercing  his  wrinkled  side. 

For  once,  Mocha  Dick  was  surprised  by  a  night 
attack.  But  the  end  was  not  yet.  He  had  gone 
down  to  collect  his  startled  senses,  and  plan  his  first 
assault  upon  his  assailants.  Fierce  and  terrible 
must  be  the  encounter  between  such  men  and  such 
a  beast  —  fearless  both,  and  long  used  to  battling 
with  the  foe. 

Mr.  Bray  brook  pulled  up,  :md  oil'ered  his  line  to 
the  bow  boat,  lint  Mr.  liailey  declined  it,  while  he 
quickly  placed  his  two  lances  in  position,  adding, 


HARPOONING    THE    WHALE.  91 

"  Mocha  Dick  nebber  sounds  worry  deep,  sah.  Dat 
critter's  game  am  sly  an'  cunnin'  down  b'low  dar ; 
but  de  ole  debble  Avill  fought  fair  up  a-top  de 
water." 

4 'Where  is  he  now,  Uncle  Joe?"  inquired  the 
mate. 

"  lie's  cumin'  up  now,  sah.  Dar  !  de  line  slacks. 
Haul  de  line,  chilun  !—  Better  yo'  keep  out  starn, 
Misser  Braybrtic,  till  de  ole  critter  show  hissef." 

Approaching  near  to  the  surface  the  old  whale 
speeded  up,  and  ran  for  awhile  like  a  race-horse. 
These  were  new  tactics  for  Mocha.  Did  he  instinc 
tively  feel  he  had  met  his  doom  at  last?  Or  was 
he,  too,  wishing  for  daylight  before  he  came  to  the 
death-grapple?  He  was  never  before  known  to 
take  to  the  defensive.  At  length  he  came  to  the 
surface,  on  a  half  breach,  and  headed  slowly  down 
towards  the  ship.  The  crisis  of  the  combat  was 
approaching. 

The  captain,  fourth  mate  and  '  John  Kanaka 
rushed  to  the  ship's  side  with  their  lances  ready 
to  defend  her.  But  this  movement  proved  only  a 
feint,  to  learn  the  whereabouts  of  the  scattered 
boats.  For  when  within  a  few  hundred  yards  of 
the  ship,  Mocha  wheeled  suddenly  around  for  the 
fast  boat,  and  rushed  madly  towards  her,  pounding 
his  huge  head  upon  the  water  as  he  ran.  With 
murderous,  ominous  sound,  he  snapped  his  terrible 
jaws  together  with  impatience  to  seize  the  boat, 
until  the  jar  of  meeting  bone  and  ivory  vibrated 


92  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

through   ship   and   boats   like  the  undulating  shock 
of  an  earthquake* 

Uncle  Joe  at  once  paid  out  upon  his  line,  and 
got  quick  stern-way  upon  his  boat,  keeping  her 
fairly  head  to  the  cunning  whale.  The  old  man 
encouraged  his  men  to  keep  cool,  and  be  watchful 
for  his  orders.  He  had  previously  bent  on  a  drag 
to  the  third  iron,  and  he  now  caught  the  iron  up 
for  defensive  use,  if  needed. 

The  whale  came  tearing  on  through  the  water 
toward  them,  striking  the  boat  fairly  upon  her  stem 
with  his  head,  and  sending  her  spinning  through  the 
water  astern,  unharmed.  He  had  failed  to  destroy 
them  by  his  own  impetuosity.  As  again  he  started 
for  the  boat  with  increased  ferocity,  he  rolled  quickly 
over  upon  his  back,  with  his  ponderous  jaws  wide 
extended  to  engulf  them.  His  open  mouth  pre 
sented  fair  to  the  light  of  the  setting  moon,  until 
tongue  and  mouth  —  Avhich  were  of  silvery  white- 

O 

ness  —  shone  with  a  mysterious  phosphoric  glow  in 
the  waning  moon-fire  of  the  morning.  It  is  this 
phosphorescent  gleaming  which  attracts  its  prey  in 
the  deep-sea  feeding-grounds.  But  now  this  mouth 
of  fire  strikes  terror  to  the  heart  of  his  assailants. 

Onward  he  came  for  his  second  attack.  But  just 
before  he  struck  the  boat  with  his  head,  Mr.  Bailey 
let  fly  the  third  iron  down  his  open  throat.  At  that 
moment  the  whale's  crooked  juw  was  towering  thirty 
feet  in  the  air  above  them.  But  the  instant  the  iron 
buried  itself  in  his  tongue  and  throat,  the  massive 


JOE    WIXS    A    POINT.  93 

jaw  came  down  like  a  thunderbolt,  barely  clearing 
the  head  of  the  daring  old  whaleman.  That  iron 
was  an  unexpected  blow  for  Mocha,  and  disturbed 
his  equanimity  for  a  moment.  He  dashed  his  head 
high  into  the  air  as  he  ground  the  oaken  pole  of  the 
iron  between  his  jaws,  and  sank  away  stern  foremost 
under  the  waters,  which  he  had  lashed  into  foam 
before  retreating. 

Thus  far  the  battle  was  wholly  against  Mocha. 
Never  had  he  been  so  foiled  in  his  attacks  before. 
His  sheepish  way  of  backing  out  of  the  tight  by 
a  stern-board  showed  he  had  become  disconcerted. 
He  settled  away  about  a  hundred  fathoms  under  the 
surface,  and  there  lay  sulking  for  half  an  hour,  until 
daylight  broke  fairly  upon  the  scene. 

In  the  meantime  Captain  Lawrence  had  cleared 
away  his  boat  and  come  down  to  join  in  the  fight. 
He  pulled  up  to  the  bow  boat,  and  inquired  of  Mr. 
Bailey  how  much  line  was  out,  and  in  what  direction 
it  extended. 

Mr.  Braybrook  was  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
fast  boat  from  the  captain,  while  Mr.  Morey,  in  the 
waist  boat,  lay  out  astern  of  them  all.  Thus  situ 
ated,  the  three  boats  formed  a  triangle  around  the 
fast  boat.  While  all  were  in  this  position  the  line 
began  to  vibrate  strongly  against  the  water,  as  if  the 
whale  were  making  some  rapid  movement  towards 
the  .surface.  At  first  the  fast  boat  forged  quickly 
ahead,  enough  to  deceive  the  loose  boats,  and  lead 
them  to  suppose  the  whale  was  certainly  shooting 


!>1  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

out  ahead,  while  instead,  he  was  actually  coming  so 
swiftly  towards  them  as  to  dra\v  the  fast  boat  forward 
to  meet  him,  by  the  resisting  water  acting  as  a  pulley 
for  the  line  to  draw  against. 

But  old  Joe  Bailey  was  not  to  be  deceived  by  such 
a  trick  of  the  cunning  whale  ;  for  after  intently 
watching  the  line  for  an  instant,  he  ordered  Jose  to 
slack  out  line,  and  pull  quickly  ahead  on  the  oars, 
announcing  to  the  other  boats  that  the  whale  had 

r? 

milled  towards  them,  and  was  coming  swiftly  to  the 
surface. 

The  captain  and  mate  soon  got  headway  on  their 
boats,  and  hurriedly  left  the  spot ;  but  Mr.  Morey 
felt  secure  from  being  so  far  astern  of  them  all,  and 
lay  quietly  looking  for  the  whale  to  come  up  some 
where  ahead  of  him. 

Without  other  warning  than  a  sharp  thumping 
vibration  against  the  bottom  of  their  boat,  before 
the  whale  appeared,  they  were  instantly  caught  in 
the  open  mouth  of  the  whale,  as  he  came  leaping  up 
from  directly  beneath  them,  furious  with  rage  and 
eager  for  combat. 

Thrusting  his  gray  and  battered  head  out  sixty 
feet  into  the  morning  air,  he  crushed  the  frail  boat 
between  his  jaws,  and  holding  her  by  the  'midships, 
shook  the  two  ends  asunder,  as  an  agile  dog  might 
shake  the  head  from  a  rabbit.  The  tub  and  'midship 
oarsmen  were  ground  into  pulp  in  a  second,  while 
the  four  other  unbittcn  ones  came  tumbling  head 
long  back  into  the  water,  as  the  two  ends  of  the 


Copyright,  1888,  by  C.  M.  NEWELL. 

THE  STOVEX  BOAT.     Fa>/e  94. 


THE    STOVEN    BOAT.  95 

boat  fell  dangling  down  the  sides  of  the  infuriated 
whale. 

Still  keeping  his  hold  upon  the  boat  amidships,  he 
thrashed  his  head  down  upon  the  wreck  around  him, 
until  the  several  parts  of  the  boat  were  completely 
demolished,  and  the  dead  bodies  of  the  men  had  sunk 
away  into  the  unknown  depths  of  the  sea.  Satisfied 
with  this  assault,  he  again  settled  away  stern  fore 
most  as  before,  and  lay  quietly  in  the  deep  sea  for 
a  half  hour's  respite. 

When  Mr.  Bailey  had  denned  just  where  the 
whale  lay,  by  the  line,  and  become  assured  he  was 
remaining  quiet,  the  mate  pulled  ahead  and  picked 
up  the  four  surviving  swimmers,  consisting  of  Mr. 
Morey,  the  boat  steerer,  and  the  bow  and  after 
oarsmen. 

Mr.  Braybrook  startsd  at  once  for  the  ship  with 
the  bruised  and  dripping  crew,  while  Captain  Law 
rence  pulled  up  and  secured  the  snarl  of  line  to 
some  of  the  larger  pieces  of  the  wreck. 

At  this  moment  the  fast  line  suddenly  slackened 
by  some  quick  movement  of  the  whale.  Uncle  Joe 
shouted  loudly  to  the  captain,  as  he  took  his  own 
oars,  "Look  out  fur  him,  Cap'n  Lawrence,  he's 
arter  yo' ! " 

The  starboard  crew  sprung  ahead  upon  their  oars, 
just  in  time  to  escape  the  fate  of  the  waist  boat. 
The  mad  whale  came  breaching  out  at  the  very  spot 
they  had  vacated,  with  jaws  wide  extended,  seeking 
a  mouthful  of  man-meat  and  cedar. 


96  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

Finding  himself  eluded  by  the  wary  crew,  he 
caught  up  a  mouthful  of  floating  wreck  and  line, 
and  plunged  on  after  the  retreating  boat,  his  rage 
intensified  by  the  foil.  Overtaking  them  in  a 
moment  he  endeavored  to  crush  the  boat  with  his 
massive  head,  striking  it  down  upon  their  stern,  as 
they  sped  away  through  the  water,  impelled  by 
frantic  oars.  His  first  blow  broke  the  long  steering 
oar  into  fragments.  This  encouraged  him  to  keep 
up  the  chase,  but  enraged  him  until  he  snorted  out 
his  angry  spout  with  the  noise  of  a  roaring  bull. 

Now  was  Mr.  Bailey's  chance  to  steal  upon  him 
with  a  lance,  and  he  availed  himself  of  it  in  a 
moment.  Every  man  in  the  bow  boat  was  seen 
hauling  line  with  the  strength  of  a  giant. 

As  they  approached  the  flukes  of  the  whale,  Uncle 
Joe  caught  up  his  lance,  and  prepared  for  the  deadly 
encounter.  The  voice  of  the  old  hero  was  quiet  and 
soothing,  as  if  hushing  a  babe  to  repose,  as  the  boat 
stole  swiftly  upon  the  whale.  It  was  the  happiest 
hour  of  his  long  life  of  battle  and  toil. 

Time  was  too  brief  to  stop  for  oars,  so  the 
avenging  boat  was  hauled  with  frantic  hands,  impel 
ling  her  directly  alongside  the  plunging  monster. 
With  their  keen  prow  cleaving  the  water  like  an 
arrow,  they  skimmed  over  the  ponderous  flukes,  and 
drew  forward  of  the  hump,  still  unseen.  But  just  as 
Joe  Bailey  was  drawing  upon  him  the  deadliest  lance 
of  the  Pacific  —  aye,  of  all  the  world  —  and  burying 
it  deep  into  his  vitals,  this  "  Satan  of  the  Sea,"  with 


KILLING    THE    MAD    WHALE.  .H 

one  more  desperate  effort  to  reach  the  flying  boat 
before  him,  breached  out  upon  her  stern,  with  the 
death-lance  hanging  in  his  side,  and  shattered  the 
boat  into  splintered  fragments.  The  two  after  oars 
men  were  killed  in  an  instant,  and  brave  John 
Kanaka,  the  boat  stcerer,  was  lying  crushed  in  the 
wreck  of  the  stern. 

Mocha  now  turned  his  whole  attention  to  Uncle 
Joe,  who,  fearless  as  his  mammoth  foe,  was  again 
plying  his  lance,  after  the  whale  had  come  down 
from  his  death-leap  in  the  air.  Although  Mocha 
Dick  had  received  his  death-wound,  deep  and  sure, 
true  to  his  old  tigerish  instinct  to  the  last,  with  jaw 
wide  extended  at  a  right  angle,  rolling  he  swept  from 
side  to  side,  with  dire  intent  to  crush  the  boat  that 
had  wounded  him. 

But  no  one  knew  better  than  Joe  Bailey  what 
next  to  expect.  And  while  he  now  kept  his  bow 
line  hauled  taut  up  to  the  very  iron  in  the  side  of 
the  whale,  he  had  also  doubly  provided  against  the 
tricks  to  come  by  fastening  with  his  second  line 
into  the  after  part  of  the  whale,  thus  giving  him  a 
line  at  both  ends  of  the  boat  by  which  to  avoid 
either  jaw  or  tail,  as  the  case  might  be. 

As;ain  and  again  the  keen  lance  was  plunged  into 
the  rolling  whale.  Failing  with  his  harrowing  jaws 
to  crush  the  cunning  bout,  Mocha  Dick  thrust  his 
gray  old  head  under  the  surface,  and  began  battling 
the  crimson  sea  with  the  most  gigantic  flukes  the  eye 
of  man  ever  saw.  But  thanks  to  the  good  judgment 


98  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

of  Jose,  the  boat  steerer,  the  first  irons  had  been 
planted  well  forward  on  the  whale.  So,  while  the 
line  was  kept  taut  at  the  bow,  the  stern  of  the  boat 
could  not  be  reached  by  the  lightning  blows  of  the 
tail,  as  it  flashed  through  the  sea  and  air. 

But  another  danger  now  awaited  them.  By  such 
stupendous  blows  upon  the  water,  the  whale  was 
casting  up  a  column  of  foam  sixty  feet  into  the  air, 
until,  like  a  fountain  colored  from  his  own  blcedin^ 

O 

wounds,  it  came  pouring  down  upon  them  like  a  cat 
aract  of  blood.  The  small  boat  was  soon  filled  to  the 
brim,  until  her  gun'ales  were  level  with  the  swash  ot' 
the  sea,  and  the  boat  and  crew  were  lost  to  view 
beneath  the  descending  avalanche  of  blood  and  foam. 

By  their  friends  on  shipboard  they  were  thought 
to  be  lost  forever.  In  such  a  plight  none  but  cool, 
brave  men  could  save  their  boat  an  instant  from 
overturning ;  but  by  lashing  their  sealskin  buoy  to 
the  one  side,  and  their  lantern-keg  to  the  other,  the 
boat  was  kept  upright,  awaiting  a  change  of  scene. 

Tired  at  length  of  this  battling  with  the  air, 
Mocha  Dick  quieted  down,  and  lay  sulking  upon 
the  water.  Then  every  man  set  to  bailing  for  dear 
life,  with  hats,  caps  and  boat  buckets.  Uncle  Joe 
dare  not  slack  away  from  the  side  of  the  whale,  for 
once  where  he  could  turn  upon  them  they  were 
doomed  in  an  instant.  This  they  well  knew,  for  this 
very  position  and  scene  had  been  closely  thought 
out  and  prepared  for,  for  years. 

Mocha  did  not  roll  with  his  breast  to  the  boat,  so 


THE    DEATH-GRAPPLE. 

as  to  enable  Uncle  Joe  to  reach  his  heart  with  the 
lance.  And  as  only  the  lungs  had  been  pierced,  the 
tough  old  sinner  still  kept  up  his  strength  for  battle, 
though  barrels  and  barrels  of  blood  came  from  his 
spout  and  wounds. 

Driven  to  the  wildest  fury  by  the  bow  boat's 
eluding  both  his  jaws  and  his  flukes,  Mocha  now 
dashed  ahead  at  his  fleetest,  maddest  speed.  Round 
and  round  in  a  circle  crimsoned  with  his  own  blood 
he  ran,  till  the  sharp  boat  clove  the  water  like  an 
arrow  in  the  sky.  Tearing  and  surging  onward,  she 
cut  through  the  seething,  foaming  sea,  till  there 
rolled,  a  fathom  above  her  bows,  a  thin  sheet  of 
curling,  hissing  foam,  tinted  and  stained  with  the 
life-current  of  the  foe. 

Plunging  and  breaching,  rushed  the  maddened 
whale  ;  fiendish  though  dying  ;  fierce  as  a  tiger,  and 
furious  as  a  storm;  now  bearing  the  "death  flag" 
in  his  spout,  which  had  flaunted  with  defiance  along 
every  shore  and  throughout  every  sea.  But  like  the 
brave  hound  hanging  to  the  haunch  of  the  fleeing 
deer  hung  the  daring  boatmen  to  his  battered  and 
barnacled  side.  Faster  and  faster  onward  he  dashed, 
bleeding  and  dying,  and  maddening  as  he  ran  ;  until 
the  snowy  foam  of  the  sea  and  the  turbid  gore  of 
the  whale  mingled  their  discordant  emblems.  But 
escape  he  could  not,  for,  like  the  ghosts  of  his  hun 
dred  victims,  followed  the  avenging  boat.  AArheel 
and  plunge  as  he  would,  ever  were  they  there. 

Still  failing  to  encounter  the  cunning  boat,  Mocha 


100  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

wheeled  about  to  grapple  with  the  ship,  but  so 
weakened  and  disheartened  hud  he  become  that  lie 
lowered  his  "red  flag"  as  he  ran.  lie  soon  ap 
proached  the  vessel,  which  lay  near  by  to  wind 
ward,  taking  on  board  the  captain  and  the  survivors 
of  his  crew.  Captain  Lawrence  at  once  took  the 
conn  of  the  ship,  all  dripping  and  wounded  as  he 
was.  Brailing  the  spanker,  and  shivering  the  cross- 
jack,  the  ship  was  headed  oft*  directly  for  Mocha 
Dick,  to  sustain  the  coming  shock  upon  her  bow. 
For  all  knew  it  was  by  his  broad  side  blows  they 
would  be  endangered,  as  had  been  the  case  with  all 
vessels  previously  sunken. 

Onward  came  the  dying  whale  to  meet  the  ship, 
superhuman  in  his  courage  to  the  last.  Ship  and 
whale  met  head  on,  in  full  career,  with  a  shock  as 
if  they  had  each  encountered  a  rock  ;  and,  as  the 
ship  presented  the  greater  momentum  of  the  two, 
the  dying  whale  got  the  worst  of  the  blow.  Doubly 
enraged  at  his  rough  reception,  Mocha,  receded  but 
to  come  again  and  again,  with  open  jaws,  trying 
along  half  the  length  of  the  Fleetwing  to  bite  into 
her  oaken  side.  In  running  this  gauntlet  several 
more  lances  were  darted  at  him  as  he  passed. 

Foiled  in  his  attempt  to  bite  or  stave  the  ship 
with  his  head,  the  stubborn  old  whale  settled  away 
stern  foremost  under  water,  as  if  to  complete  some 
new  mischief.  By  this  new  move  the  fast  boat  was 
compelled  to  pay  out  her  line,  and  take  her  chances 
of  being  again  attacked  by  the  whale. 


CRUSHING    THE    SHIP.  101 

But  his  attention  was  still  fixed  upon  the  ship, 
and  he  had  settled  away  under  water  to  obtain  head 
way  for  a  breach  upon  her  deck.  If  he  had  suc 
ceeded  fairly  in  this  attempt,  he  would  certainly 
have  cut  her  asunder,  as  he  had  previously  crushed 
many  a  one  before  her.  But  he  was  becoming  too 
weak  to  succeed  fully  in  this  intent.  Yet  this  was 
his  design  ;  and  he  was  soon  seen  coming  up  on  a 
weak  half-breach,  thrusting  his  gray,  corrugated 
head  out  fifty  feet  over  the  deck  of  the  vessel. 

As  he  breached  languidly  out  upon  the  noble 
Fleet  wing  she  careened  over  towards  him  until  her 
yard-arms  dipped  in  the  gory  sea,  as  if  she  would 
be  crushed  to  the  water's  edge  by  the  stupendous 
mass.  And  as  the  dying  monster  crashed  down 
through  main-rail  and  bulwarks,  planksheer  and 
timbers,  until  her  side  gave  way  down  to  the  water 
ways  of  her  between-decks,  it  seemed  to  all  as  if 
she  must  be  cut  through  to  the  keel,  and  sink  on 
the  instant. 

But  the  integrity  of  her  builder  had  saved  her 
from  utter  destruction  this  time.  Exhausted  by 
this  last  act  of  desperation,  Mocha  Dick  was  dead, 
and  sank  slowly  back  into  the  sea,  carmine  with  his 
own  life-blood. 

A  little  higher  breach,  giving  a  trifle  more  momen 
tum  to  the  blow,  and  even  the  stanch  and  beautiful 
Fleetwing  would  now  be  numbered  with  those  wrecks 
of  Mocha's  which  have  gone  to  people  the  blue  depths 
of  the  sea. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

AS  the  Flectwing  righted  to  her  bearings,  it  was 
discovered  that  she  was  stoven  within  six 
inches  of  her  water  line,  as  she  now  lay  careened  a 
little  by  the  breeze.  Before  the  ship  had  ceased 
rolling  from  the  shock,  Captain  Lawrence  had 
ordered  the  foresail  cut  away  from  the  yard,  and  got 
over  the  bows,  to  be  drifted  along  aft  under  her 
bottom  and  over  the  stoven  side.  Another  gang  of 
men  were  getting  up  tackles  on  the  swifters  and 
backstays,  by  which  to  bowse  taut  when  all  was 
ready.  The  pumps  were  manned  at  once,  and  kept 
vigorously  plying. 

It  was  not  long  before  the  sail  was  fairly  in  posi 
tion  over  the  hole,  and  bowsed  to  closely  fit  the 
shape  of  the  vessel.  It  was  a  heavy  cotton-canvas 
cruising-sail,  and  once  hauled  taut  in  place  the  pumps 
were  soon  sucked,  making  all  hearts  glad.  The 
stoven  place  was  on  the  starboard  side,  reaching 
from  the  fore-chains  to  the  main  swifter,  and  extend 
ing  across  the  deck  to  the  combings  of  the  halchwav 

[102] 


MOCHA    DICK    IS    DEAD  !  103 

such  a  rent  as  a  thousand  thunderbolts  could  not 

have  accomplished.  Fearful  indeed  is  the  mass  and 
might  of  the  leviathan  of  the  sea. 

But  there  lay,  to  leeward,  a  greater  instance  of 
his  prowess  than  this.  A  hickory  iron-pole,  six  feet 
in  length  —  thick  as  an  arm  —  was  struck  while 
floating  lightly  upon  the  water,  and  broken  and 
splintered  by  a  blow  from  his  tail. 

"Mocha  Dick  is  dead!"  said  an  exultant  soul, 
drawing  a  long  breath. 

"  He's  dead,  and  I'm  glad,"  exclaimed  another. 

"  Yes,  he's  dead  ;  and  thank  the  Lord  for  our  de 
livery,"  were  the  exclamations  that  bubbled  out  from 
many  a  half-choked  soul,  —  words  that  came  borne 
upon  an  undulation  of  suppressed  sobs,  dewy  with 
the  tear-drops  Avhich  ooze  prayerfully,  not  alone  from 
the  eyes,  but  from  the  hearts  of  strong,  brave  men. 

But  of  all  the  happy  souls,  none  had  such  cause 
for  tearful,  prayerful  joy  as  good  Uncle  Joe.  His 
eye  was  glistening  with  aqueous  jewels  for  many  a 
day  thereafter.  The  great  mission  of  his  maimed 
and  crippled  life  was  consummated.  He  had  now 
rid  the  Pacific  of  the  most  dangerous  cachalot  the 
world  has  known,  —  a  spermaceti  which  had  com 
mitted  more  devastation  among  ships,  boats  and 
seamen  than  all  other  cetacea  of  his  kind. 

The  old  whaleman  had  gone  into  the  combat  with 
out  a  thought  of  coming  out  alive.  He  had  not  even 
asked  for  his  life  to  be  spared,  in  all  his  prayers,  and 
he  had  not  dreamed  it  would  be  vouchsafed  to  him 


104  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

unasked  for.  His  mind  had  been  left  in  no  doubt  as 
to  the  result  of  the  coming  encounter  with  Mocha 
Dick  ;  but  his  prophetic  vision  had  portrayed  to  him 
death,  and  wreck,  as  the  sacrificial  offering ;  and  he 
had  not  doubted  but  his  decrepit  old  days  were 
numbered  among  the  rest,  who  had  been  cut  off  in 
their  strength  and  beauty. 

As  soon  as  Mr.  Bailey  saw  the  dear  old  ship  was 
saved,  he  drew  in  his  line,  and  secured  a  fluke  rope 
to  the  whale,  which  he  took  to  the  ship  as  she  lay 
drifting  towards  him.  Her  yards  were  lying  square, 
and  her  sails  aback,  just  as  she  had  luffed  to  the 
wind  after  her  encounter  with  Mocha. 

The  whale  once  secured  to  the  stern,  the  fourth 
mate  was  sent  off  to  pick  up  what  could  be  found 
of  the  stoven  boats,  and  bring  their  lines  on  board. 
The  dead  bodies  that  were  saved  were  laid  out 
under  an  awning  on  the  top  of  the  cabin.  The  three 
wounded  men  were  grouped  together  on  their  mat 
tresses  upon  the  after  quarter-deck,  and  their  wounds 
dressed  by  Dr.  Greville,  with  what  alleviates  the 
ship  afforded. 

The  carpenters,  coopers,  blacksmiths,  and  a  gang 
of  the  most  mechanical  of  the  seamen,  all  under  t In 
direction  of  the  mate,  were  set  to  work  upon  the 
stoven  side.  The  heavy  cotton  foresail  was  sulli- 
cient  protection  for  moderate  weather,  but  would 
not  be  security  enough  to  encounter  a  gale,  until 
the  hole  was  planked  up  and  timbered.  At  first, 
all  were  intensely  anxious,  in  fear  the  ship's  bottom 


TilE    HALF-WRECKED    SHIP.  105 

had  sustained  irreparable  injury ;  but  when  the 
pumps  were  sucked  dry,  and  the  full  extent  of 
their  danger  was  known,  all  felt  new  hope,  and  the 
whole  force  was  set  to  work  to  repair  the  stoven 
side. 

The  sail  was  guyed  broadly  out  from  the  side,  a 
staging  got  over,  and  the  carpenters  went  vigorously 
to  work  clearing  away  the  oaken  splinters  of  planks, 
timbers  and  writer-ways.  After  many  hours  the 
wreck  was  cleared  away  enough  so  that  patterns  of 
the  lower  planks  could  be  fitted  to  the  hole.  By 
adjusting  thin  cedar  boards  where  a  plank  was 
wanted,  a  pattern  was  formed,  by  which  the  oaken 
planks  could  be  fitted  to  the  exact  requirements  of 
the  hole.  While  this  was  going  on  upon  the  out 
side,  another  gang  between-decks  were  fitting  in 
timbers  hewn  from  some  of  the  old  spare  topmasts. 

The  ship  was  kept  drifting  with  her  head-yards 
to  the  mast.  As  it  was  the  season  of  typhoons  in 
this  far  western  sea  there  had  been  much  uneasiness 
manifested  to  get  the  ship  secure  enough  to  encounter 
a  gale,  which  is  always  threatened  by  such  conjunc 
tion  of  moon  phases  as  now  prevailed.  Were  it  a 
new  moon  instead  of  an  old  one,  with  the  same  bale 
ful  phases  conjoined,  neither  latitude  nor  location 
could  prevent  an  elementary  war  of  wind  or  rain. 

It  had  got  to  be  toward  night,  and  the  western 
sky  had  become  dappled  with  crimson  and  gold. 
This  was  hailed  as  a  good  omen  by  all,  and  It 
gladdened  the  tired  heart  of  every  beholder. 


106  T1IK     ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

It  was  in  that  same  western  direction  they  had 
first  seen  Mocha  leaping  out  from  the  yellow  moon- 
glade.  And  now  in  that  direction  they  discovered 
ii  small,  green  palm  isle,  just  emerging  to  view.  Its 
foliage  seemed  to  be  growing  out  of  the  water,  for 
nothing  but  tree-tops  could  be  seen.  A  golden  halo 
crowned  the  waving  tree-tops,  as  the  torrid  sun 
dropped  like  a  ball  of  fire  toward  the  gorgeous  sea 
beyond. 

Captain  Lawrence  took  his  glass  and  went  aloft 
to  see  how  best  to  avoid  the  island.  He  soon  made 
out  that  it  was  in  the  form  of  a  hollow  circle,  one 
of  the  curious  atoll  islands  of  the  tropics,  with  a 
narrow  opening  showing  between  the  trees  on  the 
south  side,  seeming  to  form  it  into  a  little  land 
locked  harbor.  There  was  also  an  emerging  coral 
reef  on  the  southwest  side,  half  encircling  the  little 
isle  around  to  the  westward. 

The  captain  at  once  determined  to  send  in  Mr. 
Bray  brook  to  survey  the  entrance  and  ascertain  if 
there  was  secure  anchorage  in  the  haven,  in  which 
case  the  discovery  would  seem  to  be  providential,  as 
the  ship  could  then  be  repaired  at  their  leisure.  The 
mate  was  soon  on  his  way  under  sail  and  oars,  while 
the  captain  watched  closely  with  his  glass  to  observe 
if  there  were  any  intruding  reefs  off  the  entrance  to 
prevent  the  ingress  of  the  ship. 

Mr.  Braybrook  soon  reached  the  island  and  ran 
down  its  coral  shore  in  the  cool  shade  of  the  tropic 
foliage,  whose  wild,  untutored  trees  were  bending 


THE    ATOLL    ISLAND.  107 

with  abundant  fruit ;  some  in  its  bud  and  springtime, 
other  in  the  rich  maturity  of  autumnal  ripening,  - 
such  a  wilderness  of  fruit  and  flower  and  foliage  as 
always  gladdens  the  eye  of  man.  To  these  tired  and 
war-worn  mariners  this  haven  of  safety  was  much  to 
be  thankful  for ;  but  when  safety  was  found  encom 
passed  with  such  a  garniture  of  thrift  and  beauty, 
gratitude  betrayed  itself  by  the  tear-drops  in  every 
eye. 

The  entrance  was  found  narrow,  but  bold  and 
deep.  The  boat's  crew  pulled  swiftly  through  the 
half-embowered  channel,  into  the  very  heart  of  this 
little  Isle  of  Palms,  as  they  named  it,  and  found 
everything  much  to  their  liking.  Though  the  en 
trance  was  narrow,  it  was  more  than  wide  enough  for 
the  Fleetwing,  and  as  clean  cut  as  the  sides  of  a  pier. 
True,  the  upper  yards  and  sails  would  tumble  and 
toss  the  foliage,  and  tear  its  fringe  of  vine  ;  but 
here  was  no  human  Argus  to  cry  out  at  the  trespass, 
or  throttle  the  transgressor  Avho  would  eat  to  his  full 
of  the  primeval  fruit,  fresh  from  the  hand  ot  his 
Maker. 

After  ascertaining  there  was  a  good  bottom  of 
coral  sand  to  anchor  in,  on  either  side  of  the  entrance, 
the  mate  pulled  out  at  once  to  the  mouth  of  the 
channel,  and  made  signal  for  the  ship  to  come  on 
and  anchor.  This  news  imparted  gladness  to  those 
on  board,  for  over  the  bland,  cerulean  sea  there 
fluttered  down  on  the  wings  of  the  wind  indistinct 
and  broken  words  —  like  the  Hying  of  half-fledged 


108  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

birds,  but  birds  which  had  found  a  sheltering  nest  to 
protect  them  at  last  from  the  storm. 

Captain  Lawrence  at  once  ordered  a  six-inch  haw 
ser  secured  to  the  whale,  for  towing  purposes.  The 
chains  were  roused  up  and  soon  shackled  to  the 
anchors,  which  were  got  off  of  the  bow,  ready  for 
dropping.  Then  the  ship  was  kept  away  before  the 
wind,  with  the  whale  in  tow.  While  the  Fleetwing 
was  preparing,  and  when  running  down  to  the  island, 
Bray  brook  kept  busily  pulling  in  and  out  of  the 
channel,  and  around  the  harbor,  to  make  sure  there 
were  no  hidden  dangers.  There  was  no  need  of 
sounding,  for  the  water  was  clear  as  crystal,  and  the 
whole  bottom  could  be  plainly  seen,  even  in  the 
gathering  shadows  that  crept  over  this  enchanting 
isle. 

As  the  ship  approached  the  entrance,  the  mate, 
having  assured  himself  of  a  clear  coast  and  bottom, 
pulled  swiftly  to  the  ship,  and  so  reported.  Sail 
was  now  shortened  at  once,  down  to  topsails  and  jib. 
The  ship  kept  on  along  the  shore  until  the  channel 
opened  fairly  to  the  view,  then  she  luffed,  and  headed 
for  the  entrance,  carrying  a  gentle  beam  wind,  and 
running  in  with  flowing  sheets. 

As  the  vessel  entered  fairly  into  this  half-em 
bowered  passage  the  fluke  rope  was  slacked  away, 
dropping  Mocha  astern,  thus  leaving  the  ship  unim 
peded,  that  she  might  pass  more  quickly  through 
the  channel.  The  yards  brushed  away  the  green 
boughs  gracefully  as  they  passed,  until  fruit  and 


THE    EMBOWERED    HARBOR.  109 

leaves  were  showered  down  upon  their  deck,  amid 
joyous  ripples  of  laughter  from  the  sailors  at  the 
novelty  of  the  scene. 

After  a  few  moments'  passage  the  Fleet  wing  shot 
through  into  the  windless  bay,  forging  on  by  her 
own  momentum,  until  she  dropped  her  noisy  anchor 
in  the  very  heart  of  this  little  hollow  isle. 

The  hoarse  rattle  of  the  rumbling  cable  echoed 
strangely  through  the  forest  glades  and  dim  cathe 
dral  aisles  of  this  bewitching  sylvan  temple.  In  an 
hour  the  bustle  of  anchoring  ajid  furling  sails  was 
over,  when  they  found  themselves  in  a  breezeless 
sheet  of  glassy  water,  mysterious  with  deepening 
shadows,  where  silence  reigned  profound ;  near 
around  them  the  varied  foliage  of  a  tropical  forest, 
fragrant  with  fruit  and  flowers.  Above  them  a 
clear  canopy  of  blue  —  spangled  with  a  thousand 
star-beams  —  hun^  like  a  fitting  dome  over  this 

o  o 

enchanting  shrine  of  the  sea. 

What  a  contrast  was  this  stillness  and  calm  to  the 
tragic  events  of  the  day  !  Hushed  was  the  Avild 
turmoil  of  human  outcry  and  anger,  in  deadly  com 
bat  with  a  frenzied  foe  ;  hushed  the  dread  shock  ot 
crashing  timbers,  and  the  anguished  cry  of  dying 
braves,  when  the  pulseless  heart  stops  —  listening 
with  bated  breath  for  its  own  doom.  They  could 
not  realize  the  terror  and  toil  which  they  had  passed 
through  as  they  now  reposed  in  safety  in  this  haven 
of  rest,  and  were  m:ide  to  feel  that  the  hand  of  God 
had  interposed  in  their  behalf. 


110  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

But  a  look  at  Mocha  as  he  lay  chained  by  their 
side  —  terrible  even  in  death  —  and  at  the  havoc  he 
had  made  with  ship  and  boats,  their  mangled  dead 
and  their  wounded  shipmates,  brought  the  reality 
into  presence  again. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

THE    ROMANTIC    BURIAL. 

THOUGH  the  anchor-watch  had  been  set  early 
in  the  evening,  the  tropic  night  was  so  beau 
tiful,  and  the  events  of  the  day  had  been  so  unusual, 
that  all  thoughts  of  sleep  were  abandoned,  and  not 
a  soul  left  the  deck  till  past  midnight.  Both  officers 
and  seamen  were  eager  to  exchange  personal  experi 
ences  about  the  dreadful  whale  fight,  and,  as  might 
l)e  expected,  an  unusual  number  of  unredeemed  men 
were  readv  to  openly  confess  their  belief  that  God's 
providential  care  had  been  visibly  exercised  in  their 
behalf. 

The  two  dead  bodies  that  had  been  recovered 
were  laid  out  on  the  try  works,  ready  for  the  mor 
row's  burial.  The  other  two  that  Avere  killed  had 
been  so  mangled  that  they  sank  at  once.  The  four 
wounded  men  had  been  placed  on  mattresses  upon 
the  cabin  deck,  —  an  airy  "  sick-bay," — over  which 
an  awning  was  stretched  to  shield  them  from  the 
moonbeams,  and  the  night  dews,  if  such  there 
were. 

[in] 


112  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

Dr.  Greville  was  in  frequent  attendance  upon  the 
half-crushed  men,  while  Mr.  Bailey  never  left  their 
side  throughout  the  night.  Though  every  one  com 
miserated  the  distressing  condition  of  the  men,  Uncle 
Joe  claimed  the  exclusive  privilege  of  alleviating 
their  pain,  on  the  plea  that  he  had  been  the  indirect 
cause  of  their  disaster. 

John  Kanaka,  the  captain's  boat  steerer,  was  too 
severely  hurt  to  have  much  hope  of  his  recovery, 
but  'Tucket,  Pico  and  two  other  Portuguese  bade 
fair  to  be  up  and  about  in  a  week  or  two.  The 
captain's  bruises  were  not  sufficient  to  lay  him  up  ; 
he  probably  owed  his  life  to  going  forward  into  the 
bow  of  the  boat  just  before  the  whale  attacked  him. 

Mr.  Morey's  escape  was  deemed  the  most  miracu 
lous  of  all.  When  the  brave  officer  found  himself 
lifted  skyward,  and  tumbling  headlong  into  the 
whale's  mouth,  he  seized  upon  the  pole  of  the  iron 
which  Bailey  had  Hang  down  the  whale's  throat; 
thrusting  himself  away  from  impending  death,  and 
falling  backward  into  the  water,  he  saved  himself  by 
swimming  quickly  from  beneath  the  falling  boat. 

As  not  a  person  in  Mr.  Bailey's  boat  was  injured 
it  became  a  grievous  reflection  to  the  good  old  soul, 
lest  some  evil-minded  person  should  deem  that  he 
had  not  encountered  his  full  share  of  danger.  The 
old  whaleman  had  not  harbored  a  doubt  but  he  should 
be  killed  in  the  light.  The  brave  man  had  accept ed 
such  a  result  as  a  most  glorious  ending.  Thus,  to 
be  saved  by  what  seemed  divine  interposition,  filled 


A    SAD    NIGHT. 


113 


the  saintly  old  man  with  new  reverence  and  love  for 
the  Heavenly  Father. 

As  the  evening  shut  down  over  the  windless  bay 
the  officers  gathered  aft  about  the  tuftrail,  conversing 
in  subdued  voices,  and  occasionally  listening  to  Dr. 
Greville's  report  about  the  wounded  men. 

The  steerage  people  had  clustered  about  the  wreck 
amidships,  sitting  with  their  legs  dangling  down  the 
<z;reat  hole  made  by  the  breaching  whale.  The  broken 
main-yard  and  the  stranded  main-stay  hung  down 
in  their  midst,  indisputable  evidence  of  the  high 
upward  reach  of  the  whale's  head. 

The  reflections  of  the  forecastle  men  were  solemn 
and  sad.  They  were  so  awed  by  the  veritable 
presence  of  Death  that  neither  song  nor  joke  passed 
the  lips  of  any.  The  proximity  of  the  mad  whale 
was  sufficient  to  keep  awake  their  apprehensions,  as 
there  were  none  but  believed  Mocha  to  be  the  head 
devil  of  all  whale-kind. 

Even  growling  old  Bill  became  almost  amiable. 
He  had  not  been  heard  to  utter  a  word  of  dissent 
against  Uncle  Joe  for  leading  the  crew  into  such 
uncalled-for  peril.  But  Brown's  new-found  contrition 
mostly  arose  from  terror,  as  he  expressed  belief  that 
Satan  was  abroad  upon  the  waters  ;  and  he  further 
confessed  that  he  was  more  fit  for  tophet  than  any 
of  the  four  who  were  killed.  He  was,  in  fact, 
greatly  surprised  at  his  own  preservation  from  the 
very  jaws  of  the  whale,  as  he  Avas  the  bow  oarsman 
in  the  waist  boat.  Brown  honestlv  believed  it  to 


114  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

have  been  a  trial  of  strength  between  Satan  and  the 
Lord,  —  an  act  of  divine  power  worth  remembering, 
and  which  might  amend  his  ways. 

Crawford  and  Buntline  were  in  the  mate's  boat, 
which  had  escaped  all  harm.  Frequently  tears  were 
discovered  in  the  eyes  of  these  veterans  when  they 
recounted  the  terrible  scenes  they  had  witnessed. 
The  horror  depicted  on  the  faces  of  their  crushed 
shipmates,  when  the  whale  closed  his  jaws  upon 
them,  could  never  be  effaced  from  their  minds.  The 
shrieks  of  the  maimed  victims  still  rung  in  their  ears, 
till  they  cowered  and  cringed  at  the  recollection ; 
and  it  served  to  resurrect  every  baleful  superstition 
of  their  lives. 

As  eight  bells  announced  the  hour  of  midnight 
a  huge  fish  leaped  from  the  water  as  if  about  to  take 
wing  for  the  moon.  Tumbling  back  into  the  bay 
with  a  resounding  splash,  he  aroused  everybody 
from  their  morbid  condition.  It  had  the  effect  to 
break  up  the  condoling  groups  about  the  deck. 
The  mate  called  out  forward,  to  say  that  the  bow 
boat's  crew  had  the  watch ;  and  ordered  all  others 
below,  as  a  busy  day  was  coming. 

The  moon  had  climbed  high  above  the  little  Isle 
of  Palms,  flooding  all  with  her  brightest  beams,  and 
casting  her  minutest  shadows.  Her  strong  light 
pencilled  the  wooded  shores  in  the  glassy  bay  till 
the  reflected  trees  and  vines  vied  with  the  parent 
foliage  along  the  shore. 

The  half-wrecked  Fleetwing  lay  snugly  moored  in 


THE    FAIR    NIGHT-SCENE.  115 

the  little  land-locked  harbor,  forgetful  of  the  battle 
and  the  breeze,  slumbering  among  the  mysterious 
shadows  of  the  half-embowered  bay.  The  shining 
beach  of  coral  sand,  now  lit  up  by  the  moon,  girdled 
the  ship  about  Avith  a  riband  of  gleaming  silver. 

The  submerged  branches  of  coral  shrubs  along  the 
shore  were  made  whiter  by  the  silvery  light,  until 
they  appeared  like  the  skeletons  of  some  former 
foliage  from  the  trees,  long  since  inhumed  beneath 
the  blue  water. 

Here  and  there  some  of  the  thrifty  coral  growths 
protruded  their  ghostly  tops  above  the  surface,  ap 
pealing —  like  the  arms  of  sun-worshippers  —  to  the 
queen  of  Night.  Upon  some  of  these  emerging 
coral-tops  dead  leaves  and  rich  soil  had  accumu 
lated,  offering  tempting  foothold  to  little  tufts  of 
rare  shrubbery  and  starlike  flowers,  till  at  length 
they  became  thrifty  isles,  perched  in  mid-air.  From 
out  these  fairy  islets  clambered  trailing  vines,  whose 
green  tendrils  reached  high  above  shrub  and  flower, 
until  some  passing  wind-gust  tossed  them  among  the 
tree-tops  ashore,  and  they  formed  bewitching  arch 
ways  over  the  intervening  water. 

These  tropic  growths,  found  perched  upon  the 
little  motus, —tlie  Polynesian  for  such  small  coral 
isles,  —  form  rare  pictures  never  to  be  forgotten. 
Some  of  them  took  on  the  semblance  of  quaint 
oriental  vases,  of  sheeny  white,  mauve-colored,  or 
crimson,  the  rose-hues  abounding  everywhere.  In 
all  the  mimicry  of  art  there  is  nothing  conceive:! 


TUP:  ISLE  OF  PALMS. 

so  beautiful  as  in  Nature,  when  thus  found  in  un 
tutored  seclusion  in  a  thrifty  clime. 

At  the  earliest  dawn  all  hands  were  roused  out 
and  set  to  work.  The  carpenters,  and  a  dozen 
helpers,  were  kept  busy  on  the  stoven  side,  which 
was  to  be  built  up  from  the  water's  edge  to  the  main 
rail.  Others  of  the  crew  were  making  preparations 
for  burying  the  dead. 

The  broad  ensign,  with  its  stars  ai.d  stripes,  was 
set  half-mast  at  the  peak.  The  long  pendant  trailed 
from  the  skysaii  pole,  while  the  two  ship's  colors 
fluttered  from  the  fore  and  mizzen  royal  masts. 
The  Union  Jack,  its  blue  ground  decked  with  white 
stars,  was  reserved  to  shroud  the  two  coffins,  which 
were  laid  on  the  main  hatch,  waiting  the  service 
before  burial. 

Mr.  Bray  brook  went  out  in  the  early  morning  to 
select  a  fitting  burial-place.  lie  chose  a  little  motu 
in  the  northern  crescent  of  the  bay,  which  the  in 
genious  sailors  named  Bird's  Nest,  from  the  count 
less  red  lories  found  nesting  upon  it.  When  the 
birds  were  driven  away  for  the  time,  they  filled  the 
air  with  clatter  at  the  unseemly  intrusion  of  man. 

The  Bird's  Nest  was  a  little  gem,  only  twenty  feet 
in  diameter;  a  complete  tangle  of  wildering  shrubs, 
blossoming  vines,  and  other  flowers.  The  tiny  isle 
was  founded  upon  an  immense  mauve-colored  fan- 
coral,  which  had  incautiously  emerged  from  the 
water,  to  be  grappled  by  the  hungry  elements  of 
earth  and  air.  The  dead  leaves  and  wind-bloxv.i  soil 


BIRD'S  NEST  ISLE.  117 

followed,  forming  a  dainty  receptacle  for  prolific 
seeds  brought  by  the  birds  and  breeze,  together 
building  up  a  floral  temple  enchanting  as  a  dream, 
and  a  most  fitting  mausoleum  for  the  heroic  dead. 

Near  the  Bird's  Xest  was  another,  more  quaint 
and  novel  than  that.  This  was  planted  upon  a  fallen 
tree-top,  which  was  anchored  to  the  shore  by  its 
long  slim  trunk,  the  roots  still  nourished  by  the  soil, 

thus  forming  a  tiny  floating   isle,   gemmed  with 

rare  plants  and  drooping  foliage. 

Some  of  the  sailors  when  entering  the  harbor, 
with  their  usual  aptitude  for  christening  sea-names, 
called  this  little  novelty  Lullaby  Isle,  because  of  the 
wave-motion  imparted  to  it  by  the  ship  when  she 
ran  into  the  bay.  The  rocking  of  the  float-island 
created  amazement  among  the  superstitious  men, 
who  then  had  no  knowledge  of  its  formation. 

This  fallen  cocoa-nut  palm  had  once  been  the 
lordliest  tree  of  the  forest,  but  having  raised  its 
umbrageous  top  in  regal  pomp  and  pride  too  high 
above  its  fellows,  a  fierce  cyclone  had  grappled  it, 
and  hurled  it  into  the  blue  waters  of  the  bay. 

After  breakfast  the  officers  and  crew  gathered 
sorrowfully  about  their  dead  shipmates  at  the  call  of 
Captain  Lawrence,  and  with  bared  heads  reverently 
listened  to  the  service  he  read  to  them.  When  the 
ship-service  was  ended,  the  dead  seamen  were  ten 
derly  placed  in  the  bow  boat  by  some  of  their  own 
boat's  crew,  who  sprinkled  the  coffins  with  tears. 
The  boat  was  then  lowered  to  await  the  burial. 


THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 


Braybrook's  boat  and  Mr.  Moray's  new  waist  boat 
were  then  lowered  away,  into  which  gathered  all 
the  men  able  to  attend  the  funeral.  When  all  were 
ready  to  proceed,  the  two  boats  towed  the  hearse- 
boat  away  to  the  Bird's  Nest,  where  a  few  men 
stepped  ashore  and  quickly  cleared  away  the  vines 
ready  for  sepulture.  Side  by  side  the  two  un- 
painted  coffins  were  laid,  and  covered  thickly  over 
with  green  palm  leaves.  Then,  one  by  one,  every 
mourner  stepped  ashore  and  strewed  the  graves 
with  flowers,  gathered  from  the  abundance  near  at 
hand,  and  passed  over  into  the  boats  which  had 
been  drawn  around  the  island. 

After  this  had  been  accomplished,  then  good  old 
Uncle  Joe  was  permitted  to  complete  the  service  as 
he  wished.  After  making  some  remarks  in  extenu 
ation  of  the  part  he  had  taken  in  bringing  about  the 
tragic  event,  the  pious  old  soul  wailed  aloud  his  last 
orison  in  prayer,  —  supplicating  the  Almighty  to 
forgive  the  part  he  had  taken  in  the  death  of  the 
men.  Then  the  displaced  vines  were  replaced  again, 
and  the  little  burial  isle  scarcely  showed  a  trace  of 
having  been  disturbed  by  the  hand  of  man. 

At  the  head  of  the  graves  there  grew  a  curious 
"  Clock  Plant,"  —  the  Hedysarum  gyraiis,  of  Bengal. 
It  is  the  most  accurate  vegetable  timekeeper  in  the 
world.  This  shrub  was  about  ten  feet  high,  though 
it  sometimes  grows  twenty  feet  or  more,  in  other 
lands.  The  leaves  of  this  shrub  grow  in  clusters  of 
three.  There  is  a  large  central,  ovate,  terminal  leaf, 


THE    CLOCK    PLANT.  119 

four  inches  long,  having  a  small  leaflet  on  each  side 
of  it.  The  central  leaf  is  the  hour  hand.  The  two 
leaflets  are  the  second  hands  of  the  clock.  The  leaf 
performs  a  daily  gyration,  closely  following  the 
hourly  course  of  the  sun.  The  leaflets  keep  up  a 
constant  alternate  motion.  When  one  beats  up,  the 
other  beats  down,  making  a  jerking  movement  not 
unlike  that  of  a  second  hand. 

In  the  strong  heat  of  mid-day  the  leaflets  make 
nearly  sixty  beats  to  the  minutes.  Adjust  a  dial  to 
a  cluster  of  these  leaves,  and,  when  the  weather  is 
constant,  the  Hedysarum  will  out-clock  many  a  time 
piece  constructed  by  man.  So  the  question  arises  : 
Did  not  prehistoric  man  acquire  his  primitive  clock- 
movement  from  this  shrub  ? 

Most  plants  are  supposed  to  sleep  by  night,  arous 
ing  to  fullest  activity  by  day.  At  least,  most  plants 
simulate  something  akin  to  sleep ;  while  the  Floral 
Clock  is  ever  awake,  watching  through  its  whole  ex 
istence  for  the  coming  of  its  beloved  Ilorus  —  the  sun. 
Thus  we  cannot  dispute  there  being  an  exquisite  veg 
etable  psychology  in  some  of  the  more  sensitive 
plants  —  something  nearly  akin  to  intelligence. 

To  return  to  the  sepulture  :  the  Clock  Plant  re 
mained  the  only  headmark  of  the  dead,  its  green 
leaves  ticking  the  evolutions  of  time,  onward  to 
eternity.  At  the  foot  of  the  grave  grew  a  cluster  of 
pineapple,  but  so  rooted  down  through  the  founda 
tion  soil  of  the  motu,  that  the  fruit  was  too  salt  to 
be  palatable. 


120  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

When  the  three  boats  were  ready  manned  for  re 
turning,  they  pulled  twice  around  the  burial  isle; 
and  while  the  men  were  peering  down  into  the  coral 
grotto  beneath,  Uncle  Joe  struck  up  one  of  his 
simple  negro  melodies,  familiar  to  them  all.  It  was 
a  sweet  chant,  often  sung  by  one  of  their  dead  ship 
mates,  which  now  served  as  a  farewell  dirge  while 

O 

pulling  tearfully  away. 

There  were  rude  men  among  this  sorrowing  group 
of  mourners,  yet  warm,  brave  hearts  were  citadelled 
beneath  their  bare  and  brawny  chests,  and  not  a  dry 
eye  was  seen  among  them  all. 

With  the  exception  of  Mr.  Bailey  no  one  returned 
to  the  Bird's  Nest  again,  for  sailors  have  unconquer 
able  superstitions  about  burial-places.  But  nightly, 
during  the  still  watches,  the  saintly  old  whaleman 
would  alone  scull  his  boat  out  to  the  little  sepulchre, 
roll  away  the  stone  in  prayer,  and  bow  in  the  pres 
ence  of  his  Heavenly  Father  in  profound  contrition 
for  the  untimely  death  of  his  shipmates. 

It  was  many  days  before  the  funeral  gloom  wholly 
passed  from  the  Fleet  wing's  crew.  Seamen  that 
have  long  sailed  together  frequently  become  greatly 
attached  to  each  other,  especially  when  they  have 
imperiled  their  lives  in  the  same  boat  together.  To 
these,  it  was  a  sad  service  to  sepulchre  their  ship 
mates  in  this  remote  solitude,  though  more  fitting 
resting  place  the  world  does  not  hold. 

Many  a  grief-stricken  soul,  in  the  untemperate 
zones  of  other  lands,  cry  out  for  such  an  Elysium. 


A    TROPIC    EDEN.  121 

The  careworn  man  yearns  for  the  sweet  seclusion  of 
these  green  isles,  where  earth  and  air  harmonize, 
and  the  fretted  ear  listens  joyfully  to  the  ever-grate 
ful  symphonies  of  ocean. 

In  our  morbid  moods,  who  does  not  long  for  the 
joyous  warbling  of  birds  in  some  sunny  land,  where 
their  tiny  bills  ring  a-drip  with  music  through  the 
livelong  day  ?  Who  of  us  does  not  love  to  indulge 
in  the  pleasant  thought  of  reposing  after  death  be 
neath  the  ever-green,  ever-growing  foliage  of  the 
tropics,  far  from  the  inclement  elements  and  the 
cankering  petulance  of  man ;  where  our  requiem 
may  be  the  gentle  surges  of  the  sea,  and  our  lullaby 
the  sad  monotone  of  tropic  breezes,  wailing  their 
gentle  dirge-notes  above  our  graves  —  forever  and 
forever  ? 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

TOM    DISCOVERS    A    MERMAID. 

THE  day  had  been  a  toilsome  one  for  the  crew 
of  the  Fleetwing.  While  the  carpenters  had 
been  employed  early  and  late  working  upon  the 
stoven  side,  the  crew  had  cut-in  the  blubber  of  the 
mammoth  whale,  — leaving  the  junk  and  case  for 
another  day,  — and  had  towed  the  vast  carcass  out 
of  the  bay,  that  it  should  not  putrefy  in  their 
midst. 

Most  of  the  tired  toilers  were  long  since  lapped 
in  slumber.  The  more  orderly  seamen  had  gone 
down  to  their  berths  in  the  forecastle.  Othcrs^too 
indolent  or  exhausted  for  further  effort,  had  stretched 
out  on  the  forward  deck  wherever  the  drowsy  god 
overtook  them. 

The  larboard  boat's  crew  had  the  second  night- 
watch.  John  Hoogley,  the  boat  steerer,  had  seated 
himself  at  the  taflraii  for  a  smoke/when  he  came  up, 
and  was  soon  lost  in  slumber ;  for  it  had  been  his 
overboard  on  the  whale,  while  cutting,  and  he  was 
greatly  overworked. 

[122] 


THE    MERMAID.  123 

Beautiful  as  the  night  was,  Crawford  and  Buntline 
were  the  only  ones  awake.  Nothing  seemed  to 
exhaust  these  hoary-headed  Nantucketers,  for  they 
were  never  caught  napping  during  their  watch.  Ben 
was  sprawled  out  on  the  fore  hatch,  like  a  swimming 
frog.  He  was  singing  a  low,  droning  whaling  song, 
as  the  only  method  of  escaping  the  "  land  o'  nod." 

Huge  old  Tom,  the  master  spirit  of  the  crew,  and 
Demosthenes  of  the  forecastle,  had  climbed  up  into 
the  bow  boat  to  contemplate  the  beauties  of  the 
niiHit.  For  once  the  garrulous  old  sailor  had  be- 

O  O 

come  reverent  and  silent,  while  reflecting  earnestly 
upon  the  recent  tragic  events. 

Coming  to  the  end  of  his  cogitation,  Tom  lay 
reclining  over  the  gunwale,  peering  down  into  the 
moonlit  water,  and  watching  Avith  wonder  and  awe 
to  see  the  dusky  figures  moving  about  on  the  coral 
bottom.  More  than  once  this  brawny-chested  man 
was  startled  at  the  strange  creatures  clearly  visible, 
gliding  in  and  out  of  the  dark  nooks,  and  swimming 
about  the  Avell-lit  sandy  lanes,  while  casting  many 
a  furtive  glance  up  at  the  coppered  bottom  of  the 
ship. 

Suddenly  a  slight  ripple  out  on  the  still  water 
caught  the  alert  ear  of  the  old  seaman.  It  was  out 
abeam,  in  the  full  glare  of  the  moonglade,  which  so 
dazzled  Tom's  eyes  that  he  would  have  given  up  the 
search  but  for  the  gentle  breathing  that  met  his  ear, 
and  continued  distinct  and  regular  as  human  respira 
tion.  Searching  intently,  and  extending  his  gaze 


124  T11K    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

two  ship's  lengths  away,  he  saw  the  head  and  amis  of 
a  sweet-faced  girl,  looking  timidly  up  into  his  face. 

The  morbid  state  of  mind  Crawford  was  in  half 
induced  him  to  believe  that  he  was  looking  upon 
some  supernatural  being,  such  as  he  had  just  been 
contemplating  in  his  pious  reflections.  Having  seen 
mermaids  on  some  of  his  previous  voyages,  he  at 
length  concluded  that  what  he  saw  was  a  rentable 
water-girl,  enshrined  in  the  moonbeam. 

As  the  mermaid  approached  a  little  nearer,  her 
large  dark  eyes  shone  bright  with  intelligence,  and 
her*  long  black  hair  trailed  a  yard  behind  her. 
Recovering  from  his  amazement,  Crawford  sought 
to  stop  Buntline's  singing,  lest  he  should  frighten 
away  the  strange  apparition. 

"Ava^t  ther,  Ben!  Brail  up  yer  song-lingo,  an' 
drift  'longside  'ere,"  he  whispered  in  a  tremulous, 
sepulchral  voice,  showing  the  extreme  trepidation  he 

was  in. 

"What's  up,  matey?"  bellowed  his  drowsy  ship 
mate. 

"Hush!    yer   lubber.       Here's    ar   Marmaid,   < 
suthin',  hov'rin'  'twixt  wind  an'  water.     Don't  make 
ar  rumpus,  tackin'  an'  wearin',  an'  skeer  ther  cnt 

ter." 

"What  am  yer  blowin'  'bout,  Tom?  Has  yer 
seen  yer  Uncle  Belzebub?  thet  yer  puff  like  ar 
porpus?"  queried  the  obdurate  fellow. 

"Belzy,  be  durned  I  H'ist  yer  anchor,  an'  warp 
up  inter  berth,  'ere."  And  Crawford  reached  down 


"AM    IT    AR    GHOST?"  125 

to   help   his    sleepy   messmate    up    into    the    boat, 
greatly  agitated. 

"  Wher's  ther  critter  what's  skeered  yer  so, 
Tom?"  he  resolutely  asked,  while  climbing  over  the 
gunwale  and  seating  himself  by  Crawford. 

"  Out  on  ther  beam,  in  ther  thickest  o'  ther 
moonshine." 

"  Bless  me  !  I  duz  seen  suthin'.  Am  it  ar  spook, 
or  ar  angil,  think  yer,  Tom?"  And  Buntline 
became  even  more  dismayed  than  his  friend. 

"Spook  be  clurned  !  Shine  up  yer  ole  blinkers, 
an'  teld  us  what  she  am."  And  Crawford  clutched 
the  arm  of  his  companion  with  a  painful  grip,  to 
compel  him  to  disgorge  something  definite,  as 
Buntline's  eyes  were  much  the  better  of  the  two. 

"Blazes!  It  am  ar  ghost,  sure  pop.  An'  ole 
'Bunt'  am  kind  o'  struck  aback  in  ther  head 
yards."  And  the  deluded  fellow  shook,  as  with  a 
tit  of  ague. 

"  Don't  go  ter  sho'in'  ther  '  white  feather,'  yer 
goney.  Let  out  on  yer  jaw-tack,  an'  teld  us  yer 
'pinion  'bout  She." 

"  Mebby  She  am  ar  angil.  Tis  ar  purtier  face 
nor  my  ole  binnacle  lites  hev  looked  on  since  I 
moored  Alongside  o'  Nanc  Folger,  at  Ole  Town." 

"  Tote  away  with  yer  lingo,  an'  teld  ar  feller  all 
yer  seen  o'  ther  lissome  critter.  For  I'm  gettin' 
weak  in  ther  glim,  an'  can't  see  She  clearly." 

"Ah,  Tom!  She  be  ar  jaunty  craft.  Suthin'  ar 
bit  un'arthly,  like  ;  sum  sperrit  frum  t'other  world." 


12G  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

"  Don't  gin  out  yit,  Ben.  Lengthen  yer  teliscope, 
ole  boy,  an'  teld  us  sum  more." 

"Oh,  matey!  ole  Bunt  am  gittin'  onsteady  in 
ther  lifts  an'  braces.  Now  spoke  ther  truth,  fur 
onct,  Tom,  an'  teld  mi,  am  She  cum  fur  us  uns, 
think  yer?"  And  the  foolish  old  shellback  shook 
till  the  boat  rattled  on  the  cranes. 

"Avast  ther!  don't  git  spoony,  'gin.  We  am 
too  big  sinners  ter  be  tuck  by  sich  ar  She."  And 
Crawford  made  another  desperate  effort  to  be 
courageous. 

"  O  Moses  in  ther  bulrushes  !  I  wish  we  uns  had 
never'd  cum  in  '<?re.  We's  both  wicked  'nough  ter 
be  tried  by  ar  jury  o'  spooks.  But  whedder  they'll 
cum  frum  'bove  or  b'low,  ole  Bunt  can't  teld." 

"  Cheer  up,  ole  shipmate  !  Ye's  too  tough  in  yer 
garboard  strake  fur  brimstone  burnin'  yit  awhile. 
So  dry  up  yer  skeery  logic,  an'  teld  sum  more  'bout 
ther  Marmaid."  Tom  slapped  his  companion  on  the 
back  so  hard  that  it  frightened  the  sea-girl. 

"  Ther,  she's  gone  !  "  exclaimed  Buntline,  with  a 
touch  of  relief.  "  She's  let  go,  an'  gone  down  ter 
tophet.  Spose  ther's  ar  lubber  hole  in  ther  bottom 
o'  this  'ere  anchorage?  " 

"  Like  'nough  ther  am,"  Tom  answered,  in  a  tone 
of  regret. 

"  llokey  !  Tom,  don't  I  wish  we  uns  wu/  out  o' 
this  ere  pesky  flower  gardin  ?  Thct  Spook  means 
us,  sure  pop.  What's  yer  idee  'bout  it,  Tom?  Yer 
sorter  wise  in  these  'ere  gawspel  nutters." 


"  MUM    'TIS,    TOM."  127 

"  Think?     Why,  Ben,  ther'll  be  no  sich  critter  ez 
thet  ar  sent  fur  us  tins.     It'll  be  ar  messenger  what 
can't  take  his    water-tacks    aboard ;    a    chap    suited 
fur  land  travel,  with  ar  long  tiller  swung  over  his 
taffr'il.      An'    'twon't    take  but    one    pitch    o'    ther 
toastin'  fork  ter  do  ther  bis'ness  fur  us,  ole  'Tucket." 
"O  Tom,  shut  up!  Don't  git  profane  like  thet. 
Danger  'nough  widout  goring  ther  bull.     Ole  Nick 
am  ar   sensitive    gen'lemens,    an'   won't    stand    sich 
nonsense."      Ben  clambered  down  out  of  the  boat 
with  unusual  alacrity,  closely  followed  by  his  com 
panion,  who    was    equally    apprehensive,  but    with 
better  faculty  to  disguise  his  fears. 

"Call  out  t'other  watch,  Ben,  an'  let's  git  b'low, 
quick  time.  Mind,  ole  chum,  an'  keep  shady  'bout 
this  She  un." 

"  Right  ther,  yer  am.  Gin  us  yer  smoker,  matey, 
ter  take  ther  shake  outer  me  leaches.  Ther  pesky 
sins  am  r'iled  up  so,  ther's  no  sleep  fur  ole  Bunt,  if 
thet  am  ar  specter."  With  a  trembling  hand  the  old 
croaker  hurriedly  filled  his  pipe. 

"  Prime  'er  full,  fur  two  smokes,  ole  croney.  Ben, 
if  She  am  ar  specter  'twon't  do  ter  show  ther  <  white 
feather/  'Taint  'spectable  fur  ole  water-dogs  like 
we  is.  So,  Buntline,  mum  is  ther  word." 

"Mum  'tis,  Tern,"  he  replied,  between  the  pro 
longed  puffs  at  the  black,  stubby  pipe  ;  and  the 
two  superstitious  old  Tars  stole  hurriedly  below,  after 
calling  the  watch,  and  indulged  in  a  night  lunch  of 
"  salt  horse  "  and  hard  tack. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

UXCLE  JOE  AND  THE  ANGEL. 

MORNING  dawned  upon  another  busy  day  for 
the  Fleetwing's  crew.  The  whale's  head  was 
hauled  forward  into  the  waist,  the  cutting  spades 
were  brought  into  use,  and  the  junk  was  severed 
from  the  case.  When  the  two  component  parts  of 
the  head  had  been  separated,  the  case — a  vast  oil 
cavern  filled  with  spermaceti  —  was  hove  up  to  the 
level  of  the  planksheer,  and  the  bailing  began. 
Twenty-seven  barrels  of  rich,  velvety,  oleaginous 
substance  was  dipped  out  of  this  strange  receptacle, 
-a  priceless  commodity,  once  used  to  anoint  kings 
at  their  crowning. 

After  the  oil-well  had  been  bailed  dry,  and  was 
cut  adrift  from  the  tackles,  it  sunk  like  a  rock  to  the 
bottom  of  the  bay,  being  composed  of  a  hard  oilless 
fibre  called  white-horse,  which  is  six  inches  thick, 
and  heavy  as  lead.  Strange  to  say,  this  caverned 
case  is  the  battering  ram  with  which  the  great 
cachalot  beats  in  a  vessel's  side,  crushes  a  boat, 
and  pummels  his  antagonist,  whether  it  be  a  devil- 

[128] 


A    STRANGE    OCCURRENCE.  129 

fish  or  a  whale,  —  involving  no  more  danger  of  injury 
to  this  pugnacious  member  than  if  it  were  a  cotton 
bale. 

The  case  having  been  disposed  of,  the  huge  junk 
was  hooked  to  with  both  tackles,  hoisted  aboard  and 
cut  up,  ready  to  be  boiled  out.  The  substance  of 
this  lower  half  of  the  head  is  also  spermaceti,  con 
tained  in  a  loose,  spongy  fibre,  not  firm  and  compact 
like  the  blubber  on  the  body. 

In  cutting  up  this  part  of  the  head,  a  huge,  pointed 
oak  sliver,  five  feet  long  and  thick  as  a  man's  leg, 
was  dissected  from  the  forward  part  of  the  junk. 
This  piece  of  wood  was  supposed  to  come  from  a 
splintered  timber  of  the  ship  "Essex,"  which  Mocha 
Dick  sunk  in  the  year  1820,  by  breaching  across  her 
bows  and  cutting  her  down  to  the  water.  While 
the  vessel  was  sinking  the  whale  repeatedly  drove 
his  head  against  her  side,  and  the  crew  report  seeing 
a  piece  of  the  ship  sticking  from  his  head,  at  about 
the  angle  of  a  ship's  bowsprit. 

There  were  no  irons  found  in  the  whale  with  the 
Essex's  name  on  them.  Captain  Pollock's  story  of 
the  sudden  destruction  of  his  ship  is  of  great  interest. 
He  describes  Mocha  Dick  as  being  so  pugnacious  at 
that  time  as  to  fight  without  provocation.  Tlie 
Essex's  boats  were  off,  fast  to  the  three  other  whales 
in  the  school,  over  which  the  huge  bull  was  presid 
ing  as  pater  familias,  and  they  had  not  approached 
or  annoyed  the  monster  in  any  way,  nor  had  they 
dreamed  of  his  proximity. 


130  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

He  came  up  some  little  distance  away,  and  the 
ship-keepers  were  attracted  by  his  loud,  fierce  spout 
—  like  the  roar  of  an  angry  bull.  Scenting  some 
thing  wrong,  the  whale  thrust  his  head  out  forty  feet 
above  the  water,  and  swung  his  body  slowly  around 
till  his  eyes  had  swept  the  whole  circle  of  vision. 
Then  suddenly  he  was  seen  coming  toward  the  ship, 
leaping  along  the  water  on  his  avenging  way,  show 
ing  intensified  rage  in  his  manner,  and  impressing 
all  who  beheld  him  with  a  degree  of  demoniac  fury 
heretofore  only  seen  in  the  attacks  of  the  most 
savage  land  animals. 

The  Fleetwing's  officers  found  ten  harpoons  in  the 
whale,  most  of  them  rusted  oft'  at  the  outer  surface 
of  the  blubber  by  the  corrosive  action  of  salt  water. 
There  was  evidence  of  twenty  other  wounds  from 
harpoons  or  lances,  each  scar  showing  white  as  milk, 
looking  strange  in  the  dark-colored  blubber.  The 
Pequod's  iron  and  whale-line  were  secured,  though 
greatly  injured  by  three  weeks'  attrition  of  the  water  ; 
also  the  frayed-out  part  of  a  line  and  iron  of  the 
English  ship  "  Bengal,"  of  London,  which  had  been  in 
the  whale  several  months,  for  the  harpoon  was  nearly 
rusted  off.  Long  afterwards  it  was  learned  that  four 
seamen  and  an  officer  were  killed,  and  two  of  the 
Bengal's  boats  were  stoven  in  the  encounter. 

Captain  Lawrence  had  entrusted  to  Dr.  (ireville 
the  task  of  taking  accurate  measurements  of  Mocha 
Dick.  As  discoverers  of  new-found  lands  arc  ex 
pected  to  impart  the  soundings  and  geographical 


SIZE    OF    THE    WHALE.  131 

position  for  the  benefit  of  the  maritime  world,  so 
naturalists  will  demand  the  most  minute  description 
of  this  monstrous  cachalot. 

The  full  length  of  the  great  whale  was  found  to 
be  one  hundred  and  ten  feet.  The  circumference  of 
the  largest  part  of  the  body  was  fifty-eight  feet ; 
width  of  the  flukes,  from  tip  to  tip,  was  nearly 
twenty-five  feet.  The  great  windpipe,  which  ex 
tended  from  the  spout  hole  to  the  lungs,  measured 
twelve  yards  and  was  thirteen  inches  in  diameter. 
This  vast  tubular  cavity  was  used  for  breathing  air, 
not  for  spouting  water,  as  most  naturalists  teach. 
The  jaw  was  twenty-five  feet  long.  Two  feet  of  its 
forward  end  had  been  broken,  and  had  healed  while 
bent  to  the  left  at  nearly  a  right  angle. 

While  the  junk  was  being  cut  up,  the  try  works 
were  lighted  and  boiling  began  on  the  head-oil. 
Even  the  limpid  spermaceti  requires  to  be  scalded, 
else  it  will  not  keep  sweet  during  the  voyage.  This 
gave  the  crew  work  enough  for  the  day,  leaving  the 
tough,  hard  blubber  another  day  to  grow  mellow. 
An  old  whale's  oil  is  always  harder  to  extract  than 
that  of  young  whales. 

Before  the  first  lance-flashes  of  the  sun  ushered  in 
the  new  day,  every  branch,  bough  and  swaying  vine 
bordering  upon  the  bay  was  alive  with  countless  land- 
birds.  Their  plumage  was  so  gay  and  bright  that 
the  green  foliage  seemed  blossoming  with  many-col 
ored  flowers.  A  few  of  the  small  birds  now  burst 
into  loud-mouthed  songs,  eloquent  to  express  their 


132  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

joy  at  the  departure  of  night.  Others  of  the  feath 
ered  beauties  —  the  songless  majority  —  were  seen 
preening  and  perking,  flitting  and  fluttering,  amidst 
the  swaying  foliage,  intent  upon  displaying  their 
personal  charms. 

When  the  sun  was  fairly  up  the  garrulous  parrots, 
and  their  noisy  cousins,  the  paroquets,  became  most 
uproarious,  rending  the  morning  air  with  discordant 
shrieks.  Happily,  these  gaudy  gluttons  —  like  their 
human  types  —  find  the  greatest  pleasure  in  gorging 
upon  a  fruit  breakfast ;  eating  to  repletion,  till  they 
have  no  voice  to  waste  on  the  nautical  visitors. 
Dozing  and  eating,  these  noisy  pests  of  the  tropics 
remain  quiet  through  the  day. 

In  strange  contrast  to  the  ill-mannered  birds,  there 
sat,  perched  on  the  tops  of  the  tallest  trees,  numerous 
birds  of  paradise,  and  other  songless  beauties,  full  of 
aristocratic  wonder.  Though  curious  as  others  of 
the  feathered  tribes,  these  queenly  creatures  expressed 
their  surprise  with  grace  and  dignity  ;  spending  most 
of  their  waking  hours  in  preening  their  feathers,  and 
displaying  their  exquisite  plumage  to  their  less 
favored  fellows. 

Swaying  above  the  ship  in  ever-shifting  wing- 
clouds  were  countless  sea-birds,  enticed  into  the 
harbor  by  the  savory  whale  smell.  For  each  morsel 
of  fat  or  lean  thrown  overboard  from  the  junk,  a 
hundred  clamorous  birds  swooped  down  with  folded 
wings  —  like  an  hundred  arrows  shot  at  one  target  — 
becoming  a  heaped-up  mass  of  feathers,  squabbling 


BATTLE    OF    THE    BIKDS.  133 

like  starved  furies  for  each  mouthful  cast  upon  the 
water. 

With  commendable  show  of  disgust,  the  wonder 
ing  land-birds  looked  upon  this  rude  accession  of 
sea-birds  as  an  intrusion  to  be  resisted  with  beak  and 
talon.  As  the  big  intruders  winged  their  way  up 
past  the  tree-tops,  the  spiteful  little  warriors  flew  at 
them  and  lit  upon  their  backs,  attacking  fearlessly, 
as  a  kingbird  fights  a  crow. 

The  ship  was  so  immured  amidst  the  foliage  that 
the  wind  did  not  reach  her  till  the  morning  trades 
acquired  full  strength.  Then  the  cool  breeze  over 
reached  the  swaying  tree-tops,  refreshing  the  bay, 
and  deepening  the  muffled  roar  of  surf  on  the  wind 
ward  shore. 

With  the  return  of  daylight,  Crawford  and  his 
companion  of  the  previous  night-watch  acquired 
courage  to  relate  the  story  of  the  Mermaid.  The 
recital  at  once  created  a  most  vivid  interest.  But 
few  on  board  had  ever  seen  this  most  wonderful  of 
the  ocean  amphibia.  The  topic  caused  a  lively  dis 
cussion  fore-and-aft.  The  pretty  water-girl  was 
bravely  enough  described  by  the  two  heroes  who  saw 
her,  now  grown  bold  under  the  genial  protection  of 
sunlight. 

Though  Tom  willingly  reiterated  his  story  of 
interviewing  the  mermaid,  yet  feeling  a  little  shame 
faced  about  his  fright,  he  prudently  suffered  Bunt- 
line  to  elaborate  the  whole  affair,  for  the  benefit  of 
their  importunate  questioners. 


134 


ISIJO    ()F     I'AL.MS. 


Dr.  Greville  was  among  the  least  inclined  to 
credit  the  story.  He  believed  that  the  men  had 
seen  nothing  more  than  a  white-faced  seal,  and  even 
discredited  there  being  such  a  thing  as  a  mermaid. 
But  there  were  several  on  board  who  had  seen  them. 
And  it  was  generally  believed  that  Crawford  had 
actually  caught  one,  down  among  the  Pelew  Islands, 
some  twenty  years  before. 

Tom  had  caught  his  mermaid  with  a  lasso,  made 
from  the  peak  halyards.  The  nimble  creature  bit 
off  the  rope,  and  tumbled  back  into  the  water,  just 
as  Crawford  reached  down  to  seize  her  by  her  long 
black  hair. 

He  represented  her  as  having  a  pleasant,  srirlish- 
looking  face.  Several  seamen,  and  one  of  the  officers 
of  the  ."  Skipjack,"  were  witnesses  to  this  event, 
which  left  it  beyond  dispute.  Weeks  of  subsequent 
fishing  with  shark-hooks  proved  unsuccessful. 

After  returning  home,  Tom  visited  Barnum,  and 
obtained  the  correct  price  current  for  such  slip 
pery  commodity.  The  eyes  of  the  great  showman 
sparkled  at  the  thought  of  such  a  prize.  He  oU'en-d 
Tom  five  thousand  dollars  in  gold  for  a  prime  article 
-"sound 'in  wind  and  limb."  And  five  hundred 
dollars  for  one  cured  for  stuffing. 

Before  the  day  was  ended,  none  of  the  officers 
believed  that  the  men  had  seen  a  veritable  mermaid. 
Old  Ben's  exaggerations  about  what  the  mermaid 
said  and  did  in  their  interview  did  much  to  diminish 
the  credibility  of  the  story.  It  was  known  that  the 


;  DOCTOR'S  NIGHT-WATCH.  135 

brawny  old  Salt  was  a  trifle  too  eloquent  in  sea- 
yarns.  In  fact,  Ben  ranked  "prime"  in  drawing 
the  long-bow. 

But  Bunt-line  was  one  that  could  never  be  talked 
down.  The  more  doubts  expressed  about  the  mat 
ter,  the  more  vigorously  Ben  encroached  upon  the 
domain  of  impossibilities.  Nevertheless,  when  it 
came  night,  the  mermaid  story  proved  sufficient 
inducement  for  Dr.  Greville  to  participate  in  the 
coming  watch. 

There  happened  to  be  good  excuse  for  the  doctor. 
The  day  had  been  an  unusually  busy  one  for  all, 
what  with  the  repairing,  cutting  and  boiling,  so 
that  his  offer  to  take  the  watch  till  midnight  was 
very  acceptable.  The  night  was  one  of  awe-thrilling 
stillness,  for  the  trades  had  died  completely.  Except 
the  undefined  murmur  of  surf  on  the  weather  shore, 
the  droning  chirp  of  crickets,  and  the  occasional 
twittering  of  dreaming  birds,  perched  near  at  hand 
on  the  overhanging  boughs,  not  a  truly  audible 
sound  broke  upon  the  perfumed  air. 

With  the  exception  of  Uncle  Joe  and  the  doctor, 
not  a  man  on  the  ship  was  awake.  An  hour  before 
midnight  the  saintly  old  man  came  quietly  from  his 
cabin,  stepped  into  his  boat,  alongside,  and  sculled 
himself  out  to  the  Bird's  Nest,  as  he  had  done  every 
night  since  their  arrival.  There,  above  the  vine- 
covered  coffins  of  his  shipmates,  which  he  made  his 
altar,  the  pious  soul  indulged  in  prayer,  —  revelling 
in  the  heavenly  joys  that  people  the  visions  of  Chris- 


THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 


tian  souls,  —  returning  to  the  ship  refreshed,  and  at 
peace  with  himself  and  fellow  man. 

Dr.  Grcville  was  something  of  a  star-gazer,  but 
to-night,  strangely  enough,  he  seemed  intent  upon 
delving  down  into  the  coral  grottoes,  now  made  mvs- 
terious  with  strange  aquatic  life  everywhere  within 
the  ken  of  his  eye.  The  water  was  crystal  clear, 
and  with  a  vertical,  half-waned  moon,  every  link  of 
the  cable  chain  beneath  the  ship  could  be  counted  as 
if  lying  upon  the  deck. 

Daily  the  great  anchor  was  cruelly  crunching, 
lower  and  lower,  down  through  the  delicate  corymbs 
of  the  gorgeous  rose-coral  into  which  it  was  dropped. 
These  beautiful  zoophytes  were  seen  blossoming 
everywhere,  like  garden  plants,  in  the  still  water,  — 
building  upon  various  novel  footholds  of  rock,  or 
shell,  or  upon  the  older  foundation  coral  reefs,  _  and 
were  architectured  by  smaller,  frailer,  and  distinct 
species  of  polypi. 

While  the  doctor  thus  sat  brooding,  gazing  in 
delicious  re  very  down  upon  the  sea-bottom,  there 
came  a  new  cadence,  creeping  softly  upon  his  highly 
attuned  ear.  It  was  not  the  low,  mournful  adagio 
of  the  surf,  nor  any  other  sound  that  he  had  pre 
viously  heard.  The  sounds  were  modulated  to  ex 
quisite  musical  tones,  tender  and  sweet  ;  something 
softer  and  clearer  than  the  dreaming  bird-notes  from 
the  adjacent  boughs,  or  the  tuneful  chirp  of  the 
crickets  on  the  shore. 

That  which  he  had  heard  thrilled  on  the  startled 


THE    MERMAID    SINGING.  137 

ear  like  a  rare  human  voice  in  distant  song.  It  came 
and  went,  again  and  again,  till  his  heart  heat  tumult- 
uously,  so  awed  by  the  mystery.  At  length,  after 
a  brief  pause,  it  again  stole  like  a  lover's  lute  upon 
the  enthralled  ear,  with  ever-increasing  volume,  as  if 
about  to  disclose  itself.  The  watchful  physician  had 
become  all  ears  and  all  eyes,  yet  not  a  living  thing 
could  be  discovered  anywhere,  except  the  num 
erous  fishes,  and  some  unearthly  creatures  in  the 
sea  beneath. 

At  times,  during  the  past  hour,  the  pleading  voice 
of  Uncle  Joe  at  prayer  was  softly  intoned  upon  the 
ear,  but  only  for  an  instant,  for  the  saintly  soul 
was  not  one  to  plead  loudly  ;  and  the  music  that 
Greville  had  heard  did  not  come  from  the  direction 
of  the  Bird's  Nest. 

A  long,  unbearable  half  hour  of  quiet  passed. 
Then  a  faint  splash  on  the  water  was  detected  near 
Lullaby  Isle.  It  sounded  as  if  a  slender  twig  had 
been  bent  upward,  and  allowed  to  switch  back  upon 
the  water.  Dr.  Greville's  keen  eyes  were  fastened 
upon  the  spot  in  an  instant.  There,  to  his  amaze 
ment  and  delight,  he  saw  the  fair  face  of  the  Mer 
maid.  She  was  in  the  water,  toying  with  twig  and 
vine  and  flower.  Swimming  slowly,  she  skirted 
along  the  edge  of  the  little  motu,  catching  at  the 
drooping  shrubs  above  her  head,  and  twining  a  flow 
ering  vine  —  which  she  broke  from  its  stem  —  about 
her  forehead.  She  was  as  human  in  her  actions  as  a 
shore-girl,  familiar  with  the  water,  might  be. 


138  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

At  length,  after  being  two  full  minutes  under  the 
gaze  of  the  doctor,  the  water-girl's  attention  was 
attracted  to  something  on  the  Bird's  Nest.  Like  a 
listening  seal,  or  a  more  intelligent  sea-otter,  she 
raised  nearly  half  of  her  body  out  of  water,  seeking 
to  scan  the  bay.  Satisfied,  or  startled,  the  pretty 
creature  sank  quickly  back  beneath  the  surface  and 
disappeared.  For  the  next  half  hour  nothing  more 
was  discernible  to  ear  or  eye. 

When  Dr.  Greville's  patience  had  become  quite 
exhausted,  a  sudden  exclamation  from  Uncle  Joe 
caught  his  attention.  There  among  the  water-shrubs 
of  the  Bird's  Nest  was  seen  the  curious  water  girl. 
She  had  climbed  the  bank  and  seated  herself  on  the 
motu  to  observe  the  mute,  black  patriarch,  whom 
she  took  for  one  of  the  ungainly  animals  from  the 
sea-bottom.  She  had  been  discovered,  and  in  turn 
had  been  taken  for  a  supernatural  creature,  — 
whether  devilish  or  divine,  remained  to  be  seen. 

Uncle  Joe's  blatant  outcry  had  scared  the  mer 
maid,  who  dropped  softly  back  into  the  water  and 
disappeared  for  the  night,  probably  much  the  more 
frightened  of  the  two.  It  is  singular  that  such 
brave  souls  —  men  fearless  to  encounter  any  physi 
cal  danger  —  become  timid  and  unmanned  by  the 
slightest  contact  with  what  they  deem  supernat 
ural.  Dr.  Greville  remained  up,  instead  of  callitu: 
the  watch,  curiojis  to  hear  Mr.  Bailey's  version 
of  seeing  the  mermaid. 

Uncle  Joe  stepped   quickly  into    his    boat,   kept 


UNCLE    JOE'S    FRIGHT.  139 

moored  by  the  opposite  bank,  seized  the  long 
steering  oar,  and  sculled  more  briskly  than  usual 
back  to  the  ship.  It  was  apparent  to  the  doctor, 
by  the  nervous  strokes  of  the  oarsman,  that  the 
pious  soul  was  a  trifle  too  energetic  for  one  who 
trusts  body  and  soul  to  the  hands  of  the  Lord. 

As  Greville  did  not  wish  to  disclose  what  he 
knew  of  the  affair,  he  bethought  how  he  should 
question  the  old  man  about  his  adventure  on  the 
motu.  As  Uncle  Joe  approached  near  the  vessel 
it  was  noticed  that  he  shipped  in  his  oar  a  trifle 
too  previous,  yet  the  boat  reached  the  ship.  As 
she  glided  along  to  her  station  on  the  larboard 
side  the  old  man  caught  up  the  boat's  warp,  and 
climbed  quickly  up  into  the  fore  chains,  casting 
back  many  furtive  glances  at  the  water  below  and 
the  island  astern. 

When  he  met  the  doctor  on  the  quarter-deck, 
Mr.  Bailey  endeavored  to  pass  quietly  into  the 
cabin,  as  usual  upon  these  occasions,  as  he  did  not 
wish  his  spiritual  communion  impaired  by  talking 
with  any  one ;  but  Greville's  curiosity  was  too 
much  aroused  to  submit  to  his  more  delicate  dic 
tates. 

Calling  to  the  white-headed  whaleman  to  come 
aft  with  him,  when  the  two  were  seated  by  the 
taffrail  the  doctor  put  the  question  squarely  to  his 
companion  : 

4 'Well,  Uncle  Joe,  did  you  hear  that  sweet- 
voiced  singing  an  hour  ago  ?  "  The  one  great,  soft 


140  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

eye  of  his  auditor  expanded  larger  than  ever,  as 
he  replied  in  a  subdued  voice,  while  casting  a 
nervous  glance  at  the  Bird's  Nest  : 

"  Tru'  nuff,  Docer  Grevil.  An'  yo'  bin  wid  dem 
yare  angils,  too,  sah?  Bress  my  stars!  den  dar 
will  be  nudder  glorify  in'  roun'  de  t'rone  ob  Gawd. 
Glory,  glory  !  sah,  1's  so  glad  "  Uncle  Joe  caught 
the  doctor's  hand  with  childish  delight,  to  think  that 
at  length  his  obdurate  ears  had  caught  the  sound  of 
angel  voices. 

''Not  so  fast,  Uncle  Joe.  True,  I  would  like  to 
ferry  over  the  river  in  the  same  boat  with  such  as 
you,  but  it  is  not  as  you  suppose  to-night.  Per 
haps  it  may  be,  some  time.  Tell  me  what  you  have 
seen  on  the  Bird's  Nest.  I  think  you  frequently  see 
angels  in  your  hours  of  communion  ?  " 

"  Yis,  sah,  I  duz,  sumtimc.  But  dey  am  allers 
fa'  off,  up  in  dar  kingdom  cum.  But  ter-nite,  Joe 
Bailey  bin  heah  de  timbrils  play  in',  an'  de  angils 
singin'  'mong  de  motus.  O  Lawd  !  dish  niggar  kno' 
he  am  yo'r  chile,  fur-ebber  mo',  arter  dis  nite." 

**  What  has  happened  this  night,  more  than  usual? 
Tell  me  all  about  it." 

"Why,  sah,  doan  yer  kno'?  I)ere  wuz  one  ob 
dose  sweet-faced  angils  drop  down  from  hebben  on 
de  Bird's  Nest,  an'  breathed  on  dis  ye  re  ole  brack 
face  while  I's  prayin'.  O  glory  !  dis  chile  am  so 
happy,  sah." 

"  Tell  me  some  more.  I  am  greatly  interested  in 
all  these  matters,  Mr.  Bailey." 


PASS-WORD    TO  HEAVEN.  141 

"  Not  much  mo',  sah,  on'y  de  angil  spok'  de  pass 
word  to  dis  yere  sinner.  Yis,  sah,  she  am  gimme  de 
pass-word  what  will  unlock  de  gate  ob  Glory. 
Hiah  !  I's  lib  long  nuff  in  dis  yer  world,  now  Mad 
Dick  am  de'd." 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

THE    MERMAID. 

DURING  the  morning  watch,  a  few  nights  after 
the    last    mermaid    affair,    Dr.    Greville    was 
aroused  from  sleep  by  hearing  Mr.  Morey  exclaim  : 

"  Go  quick,  and  call  Captain  Lawrence.  It's  the 
Mermaid,  sure  as  I  live."  Said  with  a  breathless 
excitement  that  was  imparted  to  all  who  heard  it. 

The  doctor  sprang  out  of  his  berth,  fairly  electri 
fied  by  the  words.  Shouting  to  the  captain  while 
he  was  slipping  into  his  pants,  he  hastened  to  the 
deck,  making  his  toilet  as  he  went.  The  second 
mate  was  found  bending  eagerly  over  the  taffrail, 
watching  something  down  on  the  dimly  lighted 
water,  about  a  ship's  length  away. 

There,  true  enough,  was  the  same  mermaid  that 
the  doctor  had  seen  three  nights  before.  The  pretty 
creature  was  just  then  leaning  slantwise  upon  the 
water,  sinuous  and  graceful,  as  a  shore-girl  might 
recline  upon  a  divan. 

The  moon,  now  waned  to  the  last  quarter,  was 
just  rising  over  the  tree-tops,  and  being  at  the  back 

[142] 


THE    SEA-GIRL    AGAIN.  143 

of  the  mermaid,  presented  her  shaded  face  in  pro 
file  to  the  ohservers.  The  contour  of  the  face  seemed 
perfectly  human,  and  when  thus  seen  against  a 
background  of  moonlight  the  lines  were  pleasing 
and  finely  cut.  While  presenting  this  quarter  view, 
she  showed  one  shapely  bosom,  a  plump,  tapering 
arm,  and  small  brown  hand,  thrust  out  through  her 
black  mass  of  floating  hair,  which  wholly  covered 
her  back  and  fish-extremity. 

The  officers  watched  the  every  movement  of  this 
elfin  creature  from  the  coral  grottoes  with  emotions 
of  delight  and  awe,  full  of  wonder  at  her  near 
approach  to  the  human  typo.  They  agreed  that  her 
actions  were  as  graceful  and  girlish  as  a  land-maid's. 
While  full  of  eager  curiosity  to  examine  the  ship 
and  people,  yet  she  showed  great  timidity  while 
watching  her  observers  suspiciously  over  her  shoul 
der,  ever  alert  to  spring  away  at  the  least  cause  of 
alarm. 

After  about  twenty  minutes  of  this  close  inspec 
tion  at  the  stern,  the  startled  creature  suddenly  rose 
up  with  a  look  of  alarm,  showing  more  than  half  of 
her  body  above  water,  though  closely  veiled  by  her 
long  hair,  and  then  settled  quickly  back  beneath  the 
surface  and  disappeared.  The  moonlight  was  too 
feeble  for  the  eye  to  follow  her  under  Avater,  and  all 
thought  she  was  gone  for  the  night. 

When  the  officers  were  about  to  return  to  their 
berths,  the  little  water-witch  came  noiselessly. up  out 
on  the  larboard  beam.  She  was  then  seen  standing 


144  mi:   ISLK  OF   PALMS. 

straight  up  in  the  water,  with  face  fronting  fairly  to 
the  ship,  and  fully  illuminated  by  the  moon.  This 
position  created  a  new  interest  for  all,  and  drew 
forth  general  admiration  of  her  beauty.  Mingled 
with  a  look  of  fear  and  wonderment  upon  her  sad 
brown  face,  there  was  a  sweet,  lovable  expression 
that  won  upon  every  beholder. 

The  fairy  creature  looked  so  intelligent  that  the 
officers  watched  to  hear  her  speak,  and  perhaps  sing 
the  traditional  mermaid  song  that  ancient  mariners 
have  taught  to  wondering  ears.  No  one  spoke  ex 
cept  in  whispers,  lest  he  should  frighten  her  away. 
At  length,  little  by  little,  she  began  cautiously  to 
approach  the  ship,  as  if  wishing  to  come  near  enough 
to  study  the  staring  faces. 

The  interest  now  increased,  and  the  watchers  grew 
breathless  with  delight.  At  length  her  lips  were 
seen  to  move,  as  if  she  were  talking  to  herself. 
Presently  she  really  spoke,  calling  in  a  low,  sweet 
voice  what  was  interpreted,  "  Mo-re-ic,  j\Io-re-te 
mi-ti!"  The  words  were  distinctly  enunciated,  and 
were  soon  repeated  in  louder  tones,  showing  greater 
confidence.  What  the  meaning  of  her  call  might 
be  the  officers  were  debarred  from  knowing,  for 
just  then  a  great  splash  was  heard  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  ship.  This  drew  the  attention  away  from 
the  mermaid  for  an  instant,  and  when  the  people 
looked  back,  the  sweet-faced  girl  was  gone,  and  was 
seen  no  more  that  night. 

The   disappointment  was   great.     Yet  all   drew  a 


THE    WEIRD    APPARITION.  145 

long  breath  of  relief,  for  they  had  been  spell-bound, 
more  than  they  knew,  by -the  Aveircl  apparition  just 
snatched  from  their  view.  Dr.  Greville  broke  the 
dumb  spell  that  had  seized  upon  all  by  repeating 
Hood's  lines  to  the  Water  Lady  :  - 

"  Alas  !  that  moon  should  ever  beam 
To  show  what  man  should  never  see  ! r? 

After  the  officers  went  below  Dr.  Greville  re 
mained  up  awhile.  Never  before  the  past  few  nights 
could  this  man  of  skill  and  culture  give  credence  to 
mermaid  stories.  But  here  was  a  well  attested  fact 
that  dispelled  all  doubt.  Many  eyes  had  witnessed 
a  young,  sad-faced  water-girl-,  winsome  and  beauti 
ful,  and  showing  something  so  akin  to  human  in 
telligence,  that  Greville,  for  one,  had  looked  to  see 
her  leave  her  aqueous  element  and  take  her  place 
among  them. 

The  events  of  the  night  had  been  so  strange  and 
awe-inspiring,  and  had  happened  among  such  be 
witching  surroundings,  that  to  a  refined  soul  like 
Greville  it  seemed  not  amiss  to  look  for  other  super 
natural  appearances ;  and  he  now  sought  to  still 
his  turbulent  heart-beating,  that  he  might  listen  to 
the  rustling  wings  of  the  spirit-peopled  place.  There 
is  a  bewildering  charm  about  such  a  new-found  mys 
tery  that  ministers  to  the  soul  of  man  as  might  a 
vision  of  God. 

Though  the  moon  was  small,  there  was  sufficient 
light  to  glint  the  long,  pendent  leaves  around  the 


14()  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

shore  with  silvery  sheen.  The  night  was  so  still 
jind  fair,  no  wonder  that  the  mermaids  were  abroad, 
spying  upon  an  upper  world  so  fragrant  with  night 
flowers  and  so  witching  with  moonbeams.  One 
might  well  look  to  behold  the  sylvan  wood-nymphs 
come  forth  from  the  forest  »nd  people  the  glisten 
ing  sands,  and  limn  their  fairy  faces  in  the  glassy 
bay. 

From  this  sweet,  idyllic  scene  Greville  stole  into 
his  berth  in  the  cabin,  feeling  a  nearer  kindred  to 
Godhead  than  ever  before.  He  could  not  but  feel 
thankful  that  he  had  been  permitted  to  witness  this 
one  visible  link  between  terrestrial  man  and  am 
phibian  woman. 

So  completely  possessed  was  his  mind  with  this 
novel  experience  that  he  spread  his  mattress  and 
pillow  on  the  transom,  where  he  could  lie  with  his 
head  near  one  of  the  stern  windows.  He  was  fully 
determined  to  nightly  continue  his  watch  for  Morete, 
—  as  the  sea-girl  was  now  called, — though  he  ap 
peared  a  little  ashamed  of  th#  strong  infatuation 
that  had  seized  him. 

The  following  day  was  spent  in  stowing  down  the 
oil  and  cleaning  the  ship  fore-and-aft,  till  not  a  ves 
tige  of  the  whale  or  his  products  was  to  be  seen. 
The  rent  in  the  side  was  being  slowly  built  up,  and 
another  day  or  two  would  see  the  planksheer  in 
place,  and  the  outboard  planking  calked  and  the 
seams  payed,  ready  for  any  emergency. 

As  the  evening  hour  approached,  the  Fleetwing's 


A    DOG-WATCH    YAUX, 


147 


people  gathered  about  the  deck  in  social  groups  as 
usual.  While  song  and  shout  echoed  over  the  bay 
from  the  cheery  forecastle  men,  another  more  orderly 
group  had  clustered  about  Uncle  Joe,  who  was 
seated  amidships  for  his  evening  smoke. 

The  old  veteran  had  not  been  on  deck  the  night 
before  when  the  mermaid  was  seen,  but  his  fifty 
years'  experience  of  sea-wonders  included  many 
strange  stories  of  water-girls  and  all  other  sea  nov 
elties?  While  sitting  there,  the  centre  of  a  group 
of  steerage  people,  —  cooper,  carpenter  and  boat 
steerers,— the  loved  old  man  was  eagerly  urged  by 
all  to  tell  a  dog-watch  story. 

Mounted  upon  the  fife-rail,  at  the  mainmast,  his 
crisp  white  locks  bared  to  the  evening  air,  the  grim 
old  prophet  was  gazing  at  the  stars,  like  one  ponder 
ing  the  destinies  of  man.  Both  Chips  and  old  Bungs 
had  been  urging  him  to  tell  some  of  his  experiences 
with  mermaids  among  the  Pelew  Islands. 

Curling  a  long  wreath  of  meditative  smoke  from 
his  grim  old  pipe,  which  seemed  to  acquire  its  black- 
ness°from  the  thin,  corrugated  cheeks  of  its  owner, 
Uncle  Joe  grinned  a  broad,  benevolent  smile  over  the 
group,  as  he  cleared  his  throat  for  a  talk  to  the  boys. 
"AVeel,  chilun,  I  specs  dese  yere  marmaids  wuz 
made  ter  teach  de  brudder  man  de  ways  ob  de  Lawd. 
Sum  pussuns  can  t  zacly  diskibber  dat  dere  am  ar 
Lawd."  And  he  cast  a  solemn,  reproachful  glance 
upon  Chips,  who  was  an  irreligious  reprobate. 

tk  Dese  yere  pussuns  can't  eben  obsarve  de  angils 


148  THE    ISLE    OF     PALMS. 

sittin'  on  de  stars,  an'  ilyin'  roun'  like  l)ig  white 
goneys  up  aloft  dar.  So,  brudders,  dc  bressed 
Lawd  jes  fix  up  desc  yerc  wuter-gals  ter  sbo'  de 
sailor  folkes  sum  wissible  link  'tween  Gawd  an' 
man. 

"  Dar's  Massa  Darwin  ;  dat  pussun  t'inks  de  bah- 
boon  am  de  fus'  rope-yarn  in  de  make-up  ob  brudder 
man.  Ah,  chilun,  I  kno'  de  brudder  monkey  am 
brack,  like  dis  yere  ole  nig.  But,  white  folkes,  I 
duzen't  like  de  tail  !  I  specs  w^e  uns  wuzn't  quite 
like  dem  yere  monkeys  when  we  fus'  ho'  de  Inters  in 
de  Eden  Ian' ;  cans'  de  brudder  monks  had  rudder 
play  dan  work  ;  rudder  steal  dan  labor  by  de  pus- 
puration  ob  de  brow. 

"  I's  quite  obscure  in  de  mind  'bout  one  t'ing, 
chilun  ;  I  can't  help  b'lieve  dat  'fessor  Darwin  wuzn't 
kep'  on  gude  fodder  when  he's  young.  He  mus'  bin 
kind  o'  puny.  Dat  pussun's  sit-down  mus'  bin  dref- 
ile  peaked  hisself  ter  kep  preachin'  'bout  dat  tail  ob 
man."  The  old  man  dropped  into  silence,  reflecting 
about  evolution.  But  the  carpenter  insisted  upon 
knowing  more  about  the  mermaid  business. 

"Well,  Uncle  Joe,  we  want  to  know  something 
more  about  your  experience  with  mermaids  in  these 
parts.  You  know  I  don't  believe  in  such  critters, 
and  I  want  to  be  converted." 

11  Iliah  !  Yis,  Chips,  yo'  am  a  leedlc  onsartin  in 
all  yo'  duz  b'lieve.  Jes  wait  till  dis  chile  tek  ar 
smoke,  an'  diskibber  one  ob  dose  yuller  gals  pop  up 
in  mem'ry."  After  a  few  vigorous  whill's  at  his  black 


THE    PELEW    MERMAID.  149 

pipe  his  voice  emerged  from  the  dense  cloud  in  which 
he  was  enshrouded  : 

"  Sure  nuf,  dat's  de  critter  ;  dat  am  she  ;  de  same 
leedle  yaller  gal  I's  bin  seen  down  off  the  Pelews. 
An',  chilun,  she  wuz  lubly  ter  hehole.  Sorry  ter 
sez  dis  chile  wuz  ar  wicked  leedle  niggar  in  dose 
days.  Why,  brudders,  I  didn't  kno'  de  Lawd  den 
ha'f  so  well  cz  I  did  de  debble. 

"  Weel,  de  ole  Pequod  had  bin  drift  in'  down  'long 
de  souf  Pelew.  Joe  Bailey  hab  de  middle  watch  dat 
nite.  An'  I's  bin  t'inkin'  'bout  my  ole  brack  mudder 
in  Nan-Tucket.  I's  gut  frough  t'inkin'  ob  ole  Aunty 
Lucy,  scrub,  scrub,  'mong  de  ole  clos, — fo' I  wuz 
born  in  ar  wash-tub,  —  an'  I's  begun  ter  git  inter  ar 
sort  o'  webelry  'bout  leedle  Dinah  Coon,  ole  Tom's 
gal,  up  ter  Bedford  —  yo'  all  kno'  Tom  Coon? 

"  Weel,  I's  got  'long  so  far  in  my  egspeculations, 
smok'n  de  pipe,  an'  wuz  jes  wish'n  I  kno'd  zacly 
whcder  dat  lubly  Dine  wud  ebber  lub  dis  niggar, 
when,  sho  !  my  stars  !  ef  dar  wuzn't  dat  worry  Coon 
gal's  yallar  face  down  in  cle  water,  wid  ar  tail  outer 
her,  jcs  like  ar  porpus. 

"  O  lorry,  lorry,  chiluns,  dar  wuz  mo'  kinks  un 
tied  in  dis  yere  niggar's  ha'r  dat  nite  dan  yo'  kno's 
ob.  Truf,  chilun,  ebbry  word,  sure  pop.  An'  I'll 
teld  yer  nudder  fac',  happen  dat  time.  Dis  brack 
pussun  useter  be  kin'cr  elrny  cullud  in  de  face  fo' 
dat  nite  ;  but,  chilun,  I's  gut  so  skeered  den,  dat  I 
yarn  allers  bin  quite  ar  spec'ble  culler  ebber  since." 
The  uproar  of  laughter  and  hilarious  shouts  caused 


150  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

by  this  piece  of  witticism,  tittered  in  sober  earnest, 
as  Uncle  Joe  always  related  his  stories,  so  greatly 
increased  his  audience  that  the  old  man  hastily  dis 
mounted  from  his  perch  on  the  fife-rail ,,  went  to  the 
rail  and  shook  the  ashes  from  his  pipe,  and  retired 
to  his  stateroom. 

Though  the  talk  about  mermaids  was  abruptly 
broken  off  in  the  amidship  coterie,  it  had  the  effect 
to  start  a  conversation  on  the  same  subject  among 
the  officers  aft. 

Captain  Lawrence  had  previously  expressed  his 
belief  that  he  had  seen  legs,  and  real  human  feet, 
beneath  the  long,  waving  hair  of  the  mermaid.  This 
conviction  was  not  confirmed  by  other  eyes.  And 
so  far  as  previously  known  onl}rthe  caudal  extremity 
of  a  fish  was  allotted  to  mermaids. 

True,  they  have  often  been  known  to  give  utter 
ance  to  something  like  the  human  voice  in  song. 
But  the  sea-otter  can  do  this  to  perfection,  when 
dandling  its  baby  in  arms.  Its  lullaby  is  accom 
panied  by  pleasurable  maternal  actions,  as  appropri 
ate  as  a  human  mother's.  This  whalemen  often 
witness  in  the  far  northern  seas.  Not  being  able  to 
agree  in  the  argument  about  legs,  the  topic  reached 
into  a  more  ethnological  discussion,  by  the  rapiahfs 
question  : 

''Now,  Dr.  Grevillc,  in  what  scale  of  ethnology 
do  you  place  these  little  water-witches  ?  The  charm 
ing  face  that  we  saw  last  niirht  has  haunted  me 

O  * 

through  the  day,  and  I  would   like   to   know  some- 


ABOUT    MERMAIDS.  151 

thing  more  of  this  little  triune  nondescript  —  a  being 
fish,  flesh  and  human." 

"  Really,  Captain  Lawrence,  you  have  propounded 
a  difficult  question.  I  quite  believe  that  Uncle  Joe 
has  the  right  notion  :  that  mermaids  were  probably 
created  to  help  the  human  intelligence  to  a  better 
conception  of  the  higher,  intermediate  life  between 
God  and  man." 

"Yes,  I  agree  with  you,  that  visible  evidence 
does  help  us  to  more  fully  believe  in  the  invisible 
conceptions  that  we  all  love  to  cherish,  of  spirits  in 
the  spirit  domain  above  and  around  us." 

"  It  certainly  does.  I  spent  a  great  deal  of  time 
thinking  out  that  question  last  night.'' 

"And  may  it  not  be,  Doctor,  that  there  is  a  con 
dition  of  progressive  evolution  going  on  before  our 
very  eyes?  For  I  still  feel  certain  that  I  saw  the 
outline  of  shapely  limbs  attached  to  the  little  girl- 
fish.  And  once  I  felt  almost  sure  that  I  could  trace 
tiny  little  feet  also." 

"  You  must  be  mistaken,  Captain,  about  that  pedal 
termination.  Morete  probably  has  a  tapering,  ter 
minal  body  and  a  graceful  pair  of  flukes  like  other 
mermaids.  I  am  loth  to  believe  in  this  evolution 
business,  as  antedated  by  its  adherents." 

"  But,  Doctor,  it  certainly  serves  to  tickle  one's 
fancy  about  our  own  final  ripening  into  the  angel 
form  in  the  great  hereafter." 

"Ah,  well,"  said  the  unrcgenerate  Braybrook, 
who  had  no  patience  with  attempts  at  profound 


THE  ISLJ:  OF  PALMS. 

reasoning,  "  I  have  cruised  over  the  world  a  good 
deal  in  the  past  thirty  years,  and  n^ver  believed  in 
mermaids  or  angels  cither  till  last  night.  Now  I 
believe  in  both  on  um." 

"  You're  progressing  rapidly,"  said  Greville,  with 
a  laugh. 

"  Perhaps  so.  But  to  tell  the  truth,  I  dreamed 
last  night  of  going  down  into  a  coral  cave  court  in' 
that  little  midget.  And  I  saw  some  queer  people 
down  there." 

"I  hope  the  grog  was  good?"  queried  Morey, 
bound  to  take  the  matter  as  a  joke. 

"Yes,  it  tasted  tolerably  well,  considering  the 
leakage  likely  to  occur  in  tapping  under  water," 
replied  Braybrook,  who,  though  in  earnest  about  the 
dream,  liked  to  indulge  in  sailor  jokes. 

"  When  you  get  'nother  invitation,  just  take  a 
friend  along  with  you,"  continued  the  second  mate. 

"  Xo  yon  don't !  Three  is  one  too  many  in  spark 
ing.  But  truly,  if  Morete  will  accept  me,  I'm  ready 
to  take  my  water-tacks  aboard  and  cruise  with  her 
during  the  rest  of  my  days." 

"I  think,"  said  the  captain,  "that  the  pretty 
water-maid  has  turned  all"  our  heads,  and  if  she 
comes  a  few  times  more  she'll  entrap  all  of  our 
hearts.  I  haven't  dreamt  of  her,  but  when  aloft 
to-day,  sweeping  my  glass  about  the  harbor,  T  fre 
quently  thought  I  saw  her  appealing  little  face, — 
once,  under  the  water-vines  of  Lullaby  Isle;  and 
again,  among  the  flower-shrubs  on  the  little  motu 


A    GENERAL    INFATUATION .  153 

itself.  Finally  I  began  to  think  I  was  getting 
moony  on  the  subject,  and  came  down  from  aloft 
and  took  a  nap  as  the  best  method  of  getting  rid  of 
a  mesmeric  delusion." 

After  considerable  more  talk  in  this  vein  Captain 
Lawrence  ordered  the  mate  to  stop  the  fiddling  and 
dancing  on  the  forecastle  and  set  the  anchor  watch 
for  the  night,  and  in  ten  minutes  more  not  a  whisper 
was  heard  forward  of  the  main-mast. 


CHAPTER-  XVII. 

A    WEIRD    NEW    MYSTERY. 

A  BUSY  week  passed  during  which  nothing 
more  was  seen  of  the  mermaid.  But  a 
strange  new  mystery  had  come  to  occupy  the 
attention  of  the  Fleetwing's  people  for  the  past 
three  nights.  A  ghostly  Fire  Cross  now  nightly  lit 
up  the  "bay,  shining  among  the  tree-tops  on  the 
eastern  shore.  It  was  a  weird,  flickering,  phos 
phorescent  gleam  of  blue  and  green,  that  not  a  soul 
on  board  could  account  for. 

When   this  unaccountable   phenomenon  made  its 
first  appearance  it  was  looked  upon   without  much 
apprehension,  for  it  was  thought   to  be  something 
of  the  nature  of  a  "  Will  o'  the  Wisp,"  which  sallow 
are  familiar  with  during  eastern  storms.     The  bogey 
things   nit   about    the  boom-irons  and   cling  to  the 
mast-heads,  creating  great  terror   among    the    most 
superstitious.     But   now   that  the    Fire  Cross 
repeated  itself  the    third    night,   it  aroused   all 
latent  superstition  of  tlie  crew,  and  solemn   predic 
tions  of  evil  became  the  whole  burden  of  their  talk. 

[154] 


THE    GHOSTLY    FIliE    CROSS.  155 

Since  the  nights  had  become  moonless  the  sky 
was  more  overcast,  and  the  evenings  set  in  earlier 
than  usual.  The  ship  was  so  embowered  among 
the  trees  that  the  darkness  of  a  cloudy  night  became 
impenetrable.  Launch  a  boat  and  pull  ashore  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  mysterious  light,  and  the  fiery  emblem 
disappeared  wholly  from  view  of  the  searchers. 
Shout  back  to  the  ship  that  the  ghostly  symbol 
was  gone,  and  the  shout  repeated  itself  in  a  hundred 
echoes  through  the  forest,  ending  in  a  mtitflcd  roar, 
which  wrung  many  a  wild  shriek  from  the  parrots 
roosting  among  the  trees. 

This  aftair  had  the  effect  to  wholly  hush  the 
dog-watch  songs  of  the  crew,  and  plunge  the  more 
loquacious  of  the.  story-tellers  into  ghostly  yarns  that 
greatly  added  to  the  growing  uneasiness  on  board. 
Even  the  Congo  cook  and  the  mulatto  steward,  the 
most  constant  of  the  fiddlers  and  singers,  shook  their 
woolly  heads  mysteriously,  even  in  the  sunlight  of 
noonday,  and  remained  mute  as  the  songless  birds 
of  the  forest.  It  was  an  event  which  tne  sailor 
croakers  seized  upon  as  opportune  for  spinning  their 
worst  yarns  about  spooks  and  spectres,  for  they 
gloated  over  the  opportunity  to  intimidate  the  less 
superstitious  of  their  shipmates,  until  there  was  a 
general  quaking  of  hearts  among  veterans  who 
would  deem  it  frolic  to  tackle  a  fighting  whale. 

As  twilight  deepened  into  darkness  the  several 
groups  about  deck  were  disposed  nearly  as  usual. 
Captain  Lawrence,  the  doctor  and  most  of  the 


150  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

officers  were  sitting  or  sauntering  upon  the  cabin 
deck  with  every  disposable  spy-glass  in  hand,  earn 
estly  discussing  the  one  universal  subject  of  interest. 
With  the  exception  of  Mr.  Bailey,  all  the  officers 
had  endeavored  to  maintain  some  opinion  about  the 
matter.  As  the  white-headed  prophet  now  ap 
proached  the  group,  the  captain  again  sought  to 
draw  him  into  the  discussion. 

"  Mr.  Bailey,  you  haven't  given  us  your  opinion, 
yet,  about  the  Fire  Cross.  I  notice  that  you  keep 
pretty  quiet  about  it,  but  you  look  a  trifle  wise,  as 
if  you  had  a  word  of  wisdom  on  the  matter." 

The  decrepit  old  man  hobbled  slowly  up  the  steps 
leading  to  the  top  of  the  cabin  and  seated  himself 
on  one  of  the  spare  boats,  while  he  took  a  long,  vig 
orous  puff  at  his  black  pipe,  cautiously  deliberating 
just  how  much  oT  his  mysterious  visions  he  ought  to 
disclose  at  the  present  time. 

"  Weel,  Cap'n,  dat  ar  Cross  am  ar  holy  umblum, 
sah.  'Tain't  miffin  ebil.  De  Lawd's  han' am  in  it, 
sah,  sure  pop.  Dat  am  de  star  ob  Beflchem  fo'  de 
chilun  ob  de  Fleetwing." 

"  But  what  is  it?  That's  the  point  which  we  want 
to  get  at." 

"Law  ar  massy,  sah,  I  spec  it  yam  phosphus. 
Burns  like  um.  Taint  nuffin  else;  (loan  yer  link 
so,  Cap'n?" 

"But  how  conies  it  to  take  the  exact  shape  of  a 
cross  ?  " 

"Dat's   whar  de  han' ob   dc    Lawd   cums   in,  sah. 


"  I)E    1 1  AN'    OB    GAWD."  157 

Spose  dat  AVUZ  de  crescent,  sted  ob  de  holy  cross. 
Den,  sah,  dis  chile  wud  sez,  luke  out  fo'  de  debble, 
or  de  wicked  Turk.  Dat  yere  Cross  am  de  simbul 
ob  gudenis,  an'  de  ban'  ob  Gawd  am  in  it,  sah." 
The  old  man  warmed  up  so  easily  on  the  subject, 
that  the  captain  probed  away  with  considerable  hope 
of  finding  out  what  he  knew,  for  no  one  doubted  but 
Uncle  Joe  could  tell  about  it  if  he  would. 

"Tell  us  truly,  Uncle  Joe,  have  you  had  a  clear 
revelation  about  the  Fire  Cross  ?  The  men  are  get- 
tino"  so  frightened  that  I  fear  we  shall  have  to  leave 

O  O 

port  before  we  are  repaired.  So  you  must  help  us 
out  all  you  can." 

"  De  truf  am,  Cap'n,  dat  my  'pinion  am  cordin' 
ter  de  conwicshun  ob  prayer.  It  yam  bin  made 
'nown  ter  dis  chile  dat  Gawd  A'mighty  didn't  save 
we  uns  frum  Mad  Dick  fo'  numn.  De  Lawd  yam 
stil  watch'n  ober  de  deah  chilun.  An'  Gawd's  promis 
now  am  too  'bundant  ter  teld."  The  mate  here  broke 
rudely  in  upon  this  kind  of  argument. 

"Look  here,  Dr.  Greville  hasn't  fully  explained 
his  theory  yet ;  at  least,  not  down  to  the  level  of  my 
understanding,"  said  Bray  brook,  joining  in  the  con 
versation.  "Uncle  Joe  is  too  mystical  for  my 
notion.  I'd  like  to  know  why  that  confounded 
thing  don't  burn  all  night?  It  begins  at  eight, 
slows  down  about  midnight  and  dowses  the  glim 
at  one  o'clock." 

"Yes,  that  is  the  point  which  we  all  want  to 
solve,"  said  the  captain.  "  My  notion  about  its 


158  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

only  burning  during  the  ozonic  tides  don't  seem  to 
cover  the  ground.  Now,  Doctor,  yon  have  the 
floor." 

"Well,  gentlemen/'  rejoined  Greville,  "I'll  ex 
plain  more  fully.  That  question  taxed  me  greatly 
at  first,  but  it  seems  clear  enough  now.  A  Ye  notice 
that  the  Fire  Cross  glows  its  brightest  from  nine 
o'clock  to  twelve,  then  wanes  till  one  o'clock,  when 
it  is  extinguished.  Now,  according  to  TYislicenus, 
in  his  work  on  electric  tides,  these  arc  the  three 
night  hours  of  electric  flood-tide,  — the  hours  of  pos 
itive  electro-atmospheric  condition,  —  while  the  ebb 
tide,  or  the  electro-negative  condition,  becomes  fully 
established  at  one  A.M.,  when  the  illumination  burns 
out  for  want  of  electric  fluid  to  keep  up  combustion." 

"  But  doesn't  Captain  Lawrence  give  just  as  good 
reasons  for  his  ozonic  theory?  And  why  have  you 
given  up  supporting  his  notion?"  retorted  Bray- 
brook. 

"  The  captain's  theory  did  seem  plausible.  But 
now  that  we  have  found  the  time  of  brightest  illumi 
nation  and  final  extinction  does  not  correspond  with 
the  ozonic  atmospheric  tide,  the  theory  becomes 
untenable." 

'*  How  do  you  get  at  all  this  theoretic  business 
about  ozone?" 

"  Becksel  teaches  us  —  and  we  can  ea>ily  lest  his 
theory  for  ourselves — that  the  flood-tide  of  ozone 
culminates  at  ten  o'clock  in  the  evening.  Still  the 
Fire  Cross  gleams  on  brighter  than  ever.  No  doubt 


THE  ELECTRIC  PROBLEM.  159 

that  ozone  is  an  auxiliary  aid,  for  neither  electricity 
nor  phosphorus  will  burn  freely  without  the  oxidized 
gases  to  facilitate  combustion." 

"  Well,  Doctor,  that  seems  to  be  plausible  theory. 
But  one  question  more  :  What  makes  us  all  so  de 
pressed  and  full  of  evil  apprehensions  when  that 
ghostly  thing  dowses  the  glim  ?  " 

"  That's  easily  accounted  for,"  replied  the  doctor, 
who  knew  that  other  eager  ears  were  listening  and 
sought  to  relieve  the  gloomy  condition  of  the  crew. 
"  Ask  any  nervous  old  lady  at  what  hours  she  finds 
most  trouble  to  sleep  ;  she  will  tell  you  from  one 
o'clock  till  three,  when  the  negative  electric  tide  pre 
dominates,  for  then  human  vitality  is  at  its  lowest 
diurnal  ebb.  Isn't  that  so,  Captain  Lawrence?" 

"  Yes,  no  doubt  of  it.  Doctor,  your  technique  is 
so  admirably  maintained  that  I  shall  have  to  give  up 
my  ozone  problem." 

"A  word  more  to  make  it  clear  to  Mr.  Bray- 
brook's  mind.  However  much  nervous  persons  may 
kick  about  in  the  morning  watch,  during  the  electric 
ebb,  they  find  no  trouble  about  going  to  sleep  after 
five  in  the  morning.  You  must  remember  many 
times  in  your  life  when  this  negative  condition  has 
depressed  you  ?  " 

"No.  I  can't  remember  an  instance  when  it  ever 
before  affected  me,"  replied  the  mate. 

"  Oh  yes,  you  can.  Look  back  to  some  hot,  sultry 
afternoon,  when  a  thunder-storm  was  brewing,  and 
recollect  how  uneasy  and  depressed  you  and  every- 


160  THE    J8L.K    OF    PALMS. 

body  else  were  till  the  storm  burst  and  brought  on 
a  positive  electric  condition,  when  everything  in 
nature  was  relieved  as  by  magic." 

"  Ah  yes,  I  can  think  of  lots  of  occasions  of  that 
kind.  Is  there  any  method  of  testing  the  amount  of 
ozone  in  the  atmosphere?"  continued  the  mate, 
bound  to  unearth  everything  connected  with  this 
problem. 

"  Oh  yes,  and  I'll  experiment  for  you  any  day. 
Ozono-metric  paper,  for  test  purposes,  is  prepared 
by  soaking  the  paper  in  a  solution  of  iodide  of 
potassium  made  with  starch- water.  This  test  paper 
is  very  sensitive  to  the  presence  of  ozone,  which 
turns  it  a  blue-brown  color,  more  or  less,  according 
to  the  predominance  of  this  gas." 

* '  What's  the  nature  of  ozone  ?  " 

"  It  is  intensified  oxygen,  and  may  be  made  by 
passing  electric  sparks  through  the  air,  or  by  oxi 
dizing  phosphorus  in  moist  air.  It  is  found  in  all 
pure  air,  most  in  the  altitudes,  less  at  the  sea-level. 
It  is  deficient  about  swampy  grounds,  for  there  it  is 
expended  in  oxidizing  the  carbonic  acid  and  other 
impure  gases." 

"  Then  a  great  abundance  is  conducive  to  health  ?" 

"By  no  means;  that  is  a  popular  error.  An 
excess  of  ozone  is  injurious  to  a  person  in  robust 
health.  It  seriously  affects  the  respiratory  organs 
and  induces  bronchitis,  sore  throats  and  *all  the 
eruptive  diseases  ;  scarlet  fever  and  the  like  troubles 
always  follow  snow-storms  when  ozone  abounds. 


OZONE.  161 

Too  great  a  deficiency  of  it  engenders  a  prevalence 
of  gastric  diseases.  So  you  see  that  too  much  of 
even  a  good  thing  is  bad.  That  is  one  of  the  great 
facts  to  be  learned  in  administering  medicine." 

"  O  ho  !  Then  instead  of  taking  a  gill  of  glauber- 
salts,  in  future,  I'll  be  satisfied  with  a  spoonful." 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 

GKEVILLE    AND    THE    AVATER-GIRL. 

JOSE  VERD  and  the  bow  bout's  crew  had  the 
night-watch.  One  by  one  the  officers  had 
smoked  out  their  pipes  and  gone  to  their  berths. 
The  deck  watch  were  gathered  about  the  Portuguese 
boat-steerer  amidships.  With  the  exception  of  Dr. 
Greville  the  quarter-deck  was  deserted.  Lighting 
a  fresh  cigar,  the  doctor  sat  reclining  on  the  cush 
ioned  seat  at  the  stern. 

With  face  upturned  to  the  stars  the  brooding 
physician  ejected  his  fragrant  smoke  out  into  the 
darkness  and  watched  it  gyrating  upward  with  an 
absent,  vacant  stare.  He  had  remained  up  during 
this  midnight  hour  with  an  evident  intention  that  he 
chose  not  to  disclose.  Whatever  his  purpose  might 
be,  the  cultured  man  had  seemed  a  little  abashed 
•\vh«Mi  questioned  by  the  officers,  —  like  a  boy  who 
sin  inks  from  making  known  his  first  love,  —  for  he 
was  actually  taking  the  trouble  to  half  deceive  him 
self  with  a  well  assured  look  of  vacuity. 

The  bay  was  shrouded  in  a  dismal  gloom  having 
[162] 


THE  STEALTHY  SWIMMER.  163 

t 

no  outlook  but  the  star-flecked  canopy.  While  the 
darkness  was  impenetrable  along  the  shore,  it  was 
slightly  relieved  about  the  ship  by  the  mirrored  stars 
in  the  middle  of  the  bay,  which  Hashed  back  their 
reflected  rays  into  the  face  of  one  peering  down  into 
the  inky  water. 

Dr.  Greville  was  of  a  speculative  turn  of  mind 
and  liked  well  to  indulge  in  night  communion  with 
the  spirits  of  the  place,  dreaming  dreams  that  were 
not  wholly  dreams.  Occasionally  the  recumbent 
man  rose  eagerly  up  from  his  leaning  posture  and 
deliberately  blew  a  long,  meditative  smoke-pun1'  out 
over  the  stern,  with  the  aspect  of  one  having  some 
solemn  purpose  in  view ;  as  in  Cathay  one  may  ob 
serve  the  Joss-worshipping  Celestial  light  his  colored 
incense-paper  and  blow  the  fragrant  smoke  out  over 
the  dark  river  when  in  the  Bocca's  mouth,  or  while 
passing  the  numerous  shrines  in  the  Ly-Moon  pas 
sage. 

What  the  doctor  expected  to  see  when  he  thus 
gazed  out  so  eagerly  into  the  Plutonian  blackness, 
he  probably  would  not  have  been  willing  to  tell. 
Suddenly,  for  the  twentieth  time,  he  was  seen  lean 
ing  out  farther  than  ever  over  the  stern,  with  an 
appearance  of  intense  excitement.  Leaning  and 
listening,  his  neck  stretched  out  into  the  gloom, 
he  held  fast  to  the  spanker  guy,  with  only  the  half 
of  his  legs  hanging  inboard. 

The  man's  breath  came  short  and  quick,  showing 
profound  agitation.  His  keen  ears  had  caught  the 


164  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

sound  of  gentle  breathing  down  on  the  black  water, 
and  he  had  heard  the  rhythmic  strokes  of  a  stealthy 
swimmer  approaching  the  ship. 

Presently  the  lambent  glow  of  twin  starbeams 
shone  out  through  the  inky  blackness,  thrilling  the 
heart  of  the  startled  man  like  an  electric  spark. 
What  he  saw  proved  to  be  the  bright  eyes  of  the 
little  mermaid,  swimming  cautiously  in  to  the  stern. 
When  almost  within  reach  of  the  rudder  the  little 
water-girl  stopped,  and  fixed  her  large  bright  eyes 
timidly  upon  the  doctor's  kindly  face.  After  a  deal 
of  pantomime,  and  dumb  motion  of  her  lips,  she  at 
length  murmured,  "  Mo-re-te,  Mo-re  te  mi-ti"  in  a 
soft,  tinkling  tone,  musical  as  a  meadow  brook. 

Pausing  in  the  dim  glare  of  light  shining  from  the 
stern  window,  Morete  tossed  back  her  head,  and 
parted  the  thick  black  hair  from  her  forehead  with 
a  very  girl-like  movement.  Standing  upright  in  the 
water,  she  easily  kept  herself  in  this  position  by 
some  gentle  motion  of  her  caudal  extremity. 

Having  fixed  the  hair  to  her  liking,  she  stretched 
up  her  tiny  hands  to  their  utmost  reach,  with  sup 
plicating  gestures  to  the  doctor,  whose  face  beamed 
down  upon  her  with  an  earnest  sympathy  that  won 
her  confidence  at  once.  There  was  an  almost  human 
expression  in  the  face  of  the  little  sea-girl,  which, 
together  with  the  piteous  appeal  in  her  eyes,  smote 
the  behol'der,  and  ought  to  debar  the  most  hard 
hearted  wretch  from  using  rude  methods  to  capture 
one  so  witching  and  gentle  as  she. 


TWO    TYPES    OF    GOD-LIFE.  165 

Thus,  for  a  long  half-hour,  these  two  remote  types 
of  God-life  sought  to  communicate  as  best  they 
could.  Though  mute  in  their  appeals  as  the  sun 
and  the  flower,  yet  each  momentarily  won  the  confi 
dence  of  the  other.  The  cultured  man  sought  to 
lavish  his  human  sympathy  upon  this  inferior  link 
of  life  confronting  him  from  the  aqueous  world,  as 
might  one  of  the  ethereal  God-people  lean  benefi 
cently  down  from  the  rim  of  the  sky  and  vouchsafe 
an  answer  to  Greville's  own  human  appeal. 

At  first  the  doctor  feared  to  move,  almost  to 
breathe,  lest  he  should  frighten  the  shy  creature  away. 
At  length,  feeling  convinced  that  he  had  won  her 
confidence,  he  ventured  to  reach  down  his  hand, 
proffering  a  gentle  welcome.  Even  this  friendly 
movement  startled  her  away  for  a  few  times.  But 
after  she  had  repeatedly  returned  without  harm, 
then  her  girlish  lips  ventured  to  repeat  her  pretty 
bird-talk — "  Mo-re-te,  Mo-re-te  mi-ti"  louder  than 
before. 

Though  the  little  water-girl  was  evidently  yearn 
ing  for  companionship,  yet  Avhen  the  doctor  now 
made  an  effort  to  lower  himself  down  nearer  to  her 
by  the  guy,  the  alarmed  creature  sprang  away  with 
some  swift  strokes  of  her  hands  and  a  vigorous  mo 
tion  of  her  tail.  But  when  Greville  addressed  her 
with  magnetic  voice  and  in  quiet,  cooing  words, 
he  soon  allayed  her  fears,  and  she  gladly  returned, 
though  trembling  with  unavoidable  apprehension, 
that  showed  in  every  feature. 


TIIK    ISLK    OF    PALMS. 

» 

TThen  she  finally'-  took  her  previous  position  near 
the  rudder,  it  was  with  many  appealing  gestures  and 
startled  looks  —  as  if  begging  that  the  doctor  would 
not  harm  her. 

At  brief  intervals  the  boisterous  tones  of  the  fore 
castle  men  greatly  aroused  Morale's  fears.  On  such 
occasions  the  lithe  creature  would  elevate  her  wil 
lowy  form  half  out  of  water,  disclosing  a  symmetri 
cal  bust,  shapely  as  the  marbles  of  Praxiteles. 
With  wide  eyes  and  dilated  nostrils,  she  peered 
quickly  about ;  then,  if  not  wholly  satisfied  with  her 
survey,  she  would  sink  under  the  surface  and  disap 
pear,  much  to  the  doctor's  regret. 

Presently,  after  a  moment's  absence,  she  would 
appear  out  on  the  starboard  beam,  iifty  yards  awav. 
Coming  quietly  to  the  surface,  with  just  her  eyes 
above  the  water,  Morale  would  carefully  inspect  the 
forward  part  of  the  ship,  till  satisfied  that  nothing 
threatened  her.  She  would  then  dip  under  water 
and  glide  swiftly  back  to  her  former  place,  greet  in-- 
the  doctor  with  a  smile.  Again  she  resumed  lid- 
chattering,  not  a  word  of  which  was  intelligible  to 
her  auditor — which  seemed  greatly  to  distress  the 
little  fish-girl. 

A\  hat  a  meeting  was  this  for  an  aspiring  man 
of  science,  thus  coming  face  to  face  with  a  half 
human  habitant  of  the  sea;  a  mysterious  new 
found  fish-type,  almost  unknown  to  the  great  natu 
ralists  of  the  world.  The  doctor  was  fast  beeomiiiir 
enchanted  with  the  beautiful  girl ;  and  his  heart  had 


INTERVIEW    WITH    MORETE.  K>7 

already  gone  out  to  her  with  something  near  akin  to 
love.  Morete  seemed  so  intent  to  make  known  her 
wishes  to  him,  that  he  began  to  believe  she  was 
endeavoring  to  divulge  some  longed-for  secret  of  her 
habitat  in  the  coral  caVes  below. 

The  interview  had  gone  on  till  the  water-girl 
seemed  to  have  lost  all  fear  of  being  entrapped,  and 
her  comely  face  was  now  beaming  with  gladness  and 
trust  in  her  companion.  Greville  had  stretched  down 
over  the  stern  to  Morete  till  their  hands  almost  met. 
The  warm  breath  of  the  beautiful  girl  was  upon  his 
face,  and  her  great  love-beaming  eyes  were  looking 
into  his  with  confidence  and  affection. 

How  the  interview  might  have  ended  none  can 
tell.  Suddenly  one  of  the  night-watch  came  aft 
and  saw  the  doctor's  situation,  without  comprehend 
ing  why  he  was  there.  Instantly  the  well  meaning 
man  seized  hold  of  the  trowsers,  with  a  loud  ex 
clamation  and  a  rousing  pull  inboard ;  to  which 
Greville  replied,  with  fierce,  vehement  undertones, 
bidding  the  man  begone. 

The  rough  voice  of  the  one  and  the  fierce  tones 
of  the  other  frightened  Morete,  and  broke  the 
witching  spell.  With  a  cry  of  surprise  and  a  look 
of  alarm  she  sprang  backward  and  swam  reluctantly 
away,  her  sweet  face  turned  back  over  her  shoulder, 
gazing  sadly  at  the  doctor,  and  her  long  masses  of 
hair  trailing  on  the  water  like  a  pair  of  raven  wings. 

The  disappointment  was  more  than  the  doctor 
could  bear.  He  was  like  one  who  had  discovered  an 


THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 


open  rift  through  the  bending  sky  —  meant  only  for 
him  to  behold  —  through  which  he  was  viewing  the 
revelations  of  the  other  world,  when  a  rude  hand 
plucked  at  his  garments,  and  called  him  back  to 
mundane  things  again. 

With  a  sigh  Greville  reluctantly  retired  to  the 
cabin,  enriched  by  an  experience  vouchsafed  to  but 
few  men  of  science  during  a  lifetime.  During  the 
interview  his  feelings  had  undergone  a  wide,  unex 
plored  range  of  emotions.  How  varied  and  far- 
reaching  his  aspirations  had  been  aroused,  required 
time  for  him  to  determine.  He  could  not  discard 
the  conviction  that  he  had  received  a  revelation 
disclosed  to  but  few,  and  he  meant  not  to  make 
known  to  any  one  what  had  happened.  This 
certainly  implied  that  the  man's  heart  had  been 
touched  more  than  he  knew  —  for  most  we  hide  what 
most  we  prize. 

Night  after  night  passed,  with  many  hours  of 
patient,  unavailing  watching.  This  engendered 
heart-sick  murmurings,  when  the  doctor  remembered 
that  himself  had  driven  away  his  beautiful  JVIorete, 
by  gruff  tones  which  the  timid  creature  thought  were 
addressed  to  herself.  Reflection  could  not  but 
increase  his  regrets,  for  he  believed  that  with  oppor 
tunity  he  might  have  learned  her  language,  and  in 
time  have  questioned  out  the  buried  lore  of  manv 
Ocean  mysteries. 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

A    MONSTROUS    SEA-BEAST. 

IN  addition  to  the  carpenter's  gang,  working  on 
the  stoven  side  under  the  mate's  supervision, 
the  second  mate  and  most  of  his  watch  were  kept 
busy  ashore  during  the  day,  making  an  observatory 
among  the  tree-tops  for  astronomical  purposes.  It 
was  also  to  be  used  as  a  "  crow's-nest"  in  looking 
out  for  whales,  as  well  as  for  taking  latitude  and 
longitude,  to  determine  the  exact  position  of  the 
island. 

Three  tall  cocoa-nut  palms  growing  near  together 
at  the  entrance  of  the  bay  were  selected  for  this 
purpose.  The  tops  of  the  palms  were  drawn  to 
gether  by  ropes  and  a  strong  platform  made,  where 
a  party  of  six  could  sit  or  stand  under  the  cool  shade 
of  the  inumbrate  leaves,  one  hundred  feet  above  the 
sea-level. 

Two  of  the  trees  were  rattled  up  to  their  tops,  — 
like  the  shrouds  of  a  ship,  —  which  made  the  observa 
tory  easy  of  access.  A  sea-chest  was  secured  on 
the  platform,  in  which  was  kept  one  of  the  ship's 

[169] 


170  THE    ISLK    OF    1'ALMS. 

chronometers,  two  quadrants  and  a  sextant,  con 
venient  for  taking  daily  observations,  and  with  the 
hope  of  securing  some  good  lunars  when  the  moon 
again  made  her  appearance. 

As  night  drew  on,  the  weird  light  of  the  Fire 
Cross  again  gleamed  over  the  bay,  and  the  harmless 
symbol  caused  more  uneasiness  than  almost  any 
tangible  danger  could  do.  There  was  a  hum  of  ex 
citement  throughout  the  ship,  especially  among  the 
sailors.  For  while  the  officers  were  greatly  mysti 
fied,  they  knew  the  strange  illumination  to  be  harm 
less,  and  believed  the  mystery  would  yet  be  solved. 

Led  on  by  the  more  superstitious  of  their  number, 
the  crew  had  fully  adopted  the  belief  that  Satan  was 
at  the  bottom  of  the  affair,  and  that  a  naming  cross 
could  only  emanate  from  dead  men's  bones.  This 
was  the  text  of  Tom  Crawford's  last  oracular  talks. 

Tom  was  the  oracle  of  the  forecastle,  and  though 
not  quite  as  superstitious  as  English  Bill  and  Bunt- 
line,  he  and  they  were  a  bad  lot  in  such  an  emer 
gency. 

Having  finished  his  after-supper  smoke,  Tom 
mounted  to  the  top  of  the  Samson  post,  ready  to 
harangue  his  illiterate  fellows  and  impress  them  with 
the  creed  which  they  were  to  swear  by  during  the 
next  twenty-four  hours.  Every  soul  from  the  fore 
castle  was  gathered  about  the  big,  burly  seaman  with 
thoughtful,  terrified  face.  Even  the  several  wounded 
men  were  on  deck,  now  nearly  convalesced  from 
their  wounds.  "  I  say,  maties,"  shouted  the  tawny- 


TOM'S    HARANGUE.  171 

chested  fellow.  "  Durn  my  toplights,  ef  thet  ere 
hobgoblin  ain't  burnin'  up  brighter  than  ever." 

"  What'll  cum  uv  it,  Tom,  ef  we  uns  don't  board 
our  tacks,  an'  git  out  o'  this?"  asked  Buntline. 

"  Ah,  Ben,  thet  man-kill  in'  thing  means  evil  ter 
sum  o'  ther  boys." 

4 'What  fur,  Tom?  We  uns  hev  dun  nuthin' 
'ticular,  hev  we?"  Ben's  question  voiced  the 
thoughts  of  many  another  innocent  old  sinner. 

"  Yee  am  ar  wicked  set  o'  skipjacks.  An'  no 
wonder  sum  o'  yees  am  gittin'  colico-culered  round 
ther  gills.  I  motight  be  skeered  myself  ef  I  didn't 
cum  frum  ar  Christian  people."  Thus  the  senior 
sailor  of  the  Fleetwing  found  a  method  to  bolster  up 
his  courage  for  public  inspection. 

"Why  don't  yer  hev  ar  talk  wid  ther  cap'n  'bout 
it,  Tom?  You'n  him  hev  sailed  togedder  so  long, 
he'd  do  'bout  ez  yer  teld  him." 

"Hang  it,  Ben,  I  lied  orter  speak  ter  thet  Ole 
Man.  He's  much  too  delibrit  in  shinglin'  up  ther 
side  uv  ther  ole  barkie." 

"  Thet's  so,"  growled  English  Bill ;  "  we  able  sea 
men  orter  mutiny,  ef  cap'n  don't  git  outer  this  place 
soon.  I'll  be  ther  spokesman,  ef  yer  sez  so." 

"Thet's  yo'r  'pinion,  am  it,  yer  British  booby? 
Go  ahead,  an'  lead  ther  mutiny  agin  my  cap'n  ;  an' 
I'll  lead  ther  gang  ter  string  yer  up  to  ther  yard- 
arm.  Why,  fellers,  this  ere  purty  fruit  orchid  am 
moughty  like  ther  parradize  what  me  ole  muther 
Crawford  useter  read  'bout  in  ther  Bible,  when  I's 


TIIK    ISLK    OF    PALMS. 

ar  schooner-rigged  l>oy  et  hum,  wid  ony  three  kites 
ter  sail  under  —  hat,  shirt  an'  trowsers." 

"  But  thct  ere  parradis'  didn't  hev  ar  scarecrow 
hung  up  in  thcr  flower  gardin'  ter  gin  ar  feller  ther 
shakes?"  interrogated  Buntlinc. 

"  P'haps  not,  Ben.  But  they  do  sez  thet  Belzebub 
wuz  tuck  ez  ar  boarder,  till  ther  Lord  scorched  his 
hide  an'  kicked  him  out." 

"Brail  up  yer  mizzen,  Tom.  Don't  spoke  so 
dis'specful  'bout  Mr.  Satan  till  we  tins  gits  out  inter 
blue  water." 

"  O  blarney  !  Ben,  yer  careen  too  much  fur  ther 
breeze.  Stow  sum  cobble  stones  in  yer  bread- 
locker  fur  ballast.  Ther  Devil  shall  never  shape 
ar  course  fur  Long  Tom  ter  sail  by." 

"  Oh,  belay  thet,  Tom  !  What  fur  duz  yer  keep 
flukin'  uv  it  in  that  lingo?  Blame  me,  ef  ther  deck 
ain't  gittin'  hot  everywher'  I  put  down  me  planta 
tions.  Do  dry  up  an'  talk  'spectablc  while  we  tins 
lay  here."  And  poor  old  Ben  got  too  nervous  to  sit 
or  stand. 

"Don't  mind  ole  Bunt,  boys.  Ben  lost  ther 
crown  outer  his  hat  when  young  an'  et  made  him 
weak  in  thcr  garrit." 

It  had  got  to  be  about  eleven  o'clock  and  the 
Fire  Cross  was  burning  brighter  than  ever,  when  the 
captain  Avound  up  the  quarter-deck  talk  by  giving 
stirring  orders  to  the  mate  for  the  folio  win"* 

o  O 

day. 

"Mr.   Braybrook,   put  some  spare   hands   at  the 


SEARCH  FOR  THE  CROSS.  173 

grindstones  to-morrow  and  have  all  the  axes,  hatchets 
and  billies  ground  for  action  in  the  woods,  and  just 
as  soon  as  the  repairs  are  completed  we  will  cut  into 
the  trees  about  the  Cross,  and  while  acquiring  some 
wood  for  the  ship  we  will  unearth  that  mystery  and 
find  out  what  it  is  perched  upon  that  it  should  take 
the  form  of  a  cross." 

"  All  right,  sir,  I'll  attend  to  that  matter  Avith  a 
good  will ;  and  now,  as  Mr.  Morey  looked  up  the 
mystery  last  night,  I  will  take  one  more  look  before 
we  remove  the  trees."  Bray  brook  stepped  to  the 
front  of  the  cabin-deck  and  shouted  : 

"  Muster  aft  here,  men,  and  clear  away  the  lar 
board  boat." 

'*  Ay,  ay,  sir  !  "  responded  Tom,  lustily,  for  how 
ever  much  he  might -blow  and  bluster  among  the 
seamen,  his  was  always  the  first  voice  to  respond 
and  the  first  hand  at  a  pull  in  any  call  for  duty. 
"  Thet's  ther  talk,  my  hearties  !  Face  ther  music. 
Grapple  wid  ther  infernal  lightnin'  bug,  an'  let  us 
see  ef  blood  an'  muscle  ain't  ekal  to  ar  ghostly  blue- 
lite,  any  day.  Come,  stir  ycr  stumps,  boys,  an' 
clear  away  our  boat." 

After  a  two  minutes'  pull  the  boat  grounded  on 
the  coral  sand,  the  grating  noise  of  the  keel  causing 
quite  a  twittering  among  the  birds  roosting  above. 
The  beach  was  made  dark  as  a  pocket  by  the  dense 
overhanging  foliage.  One  and  all  scrambled  ashore 
to  make  search  for  the  Cross,  and  followed  the  mate 
along  the  beach  to  the  west.  Not  a  sign  of  the  fiery 


174  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

symbol  was  visible  from  any  position  they  could 
reach,  for  they  were  kept  from  entering  the  woods 
by  a  thick  undergrowth  of  thorns,  briars  and  inter 
lacing  vines.  Neither  could  they  walk  far  along  the 
beach,  for  suddenly  they  came  to  an  impassable  cav 
ernous  passage,  through,  under  the  shore  of  the 
island,  to  the  sea  beyond.  This  was  evident  from  an 
inflowing  current. 

As  they  stood  wondering  at  this  coral  archway 
under  the  shore  there  came  a  deep,  dismal,  soughing 
sound  that  made  the  men  cringe  with  fear.  Heard 
in  such  a  gloomy  place,  the  wailing  noise  seemed 
very  like  some  muffled  outcry  of  grief.  This  so 
dismayed  the  men  that  even  brave  old  Tom  caught 
Buntline  by  the  arm  and  drew  him  stealthily  away 
toward  the  boat,  whispering,  when  out  of  hearing 
of  the  others,  in  sepulchral  tones  : 

"  Mark  me,  Ben,  I've  ar  mind  thet  hole  am  ther 
infernal  water-gate  down  to  ther  brimstone  place. 
Didn't  yer  smell  ther  lucifer  burning?  Ugh!  thet's 
ar  leetle  too  close  ter  tophet  fur  ther  likes  uv  you 
an'  me,  ole  Bunt." 

"Thet's  'bout  how  I  argufy,  Tom.  Folks  az 
crooks  ther  wakes,  like  us  uns,  gits  wise  in  time  an" 
make  ar  starn-board  at  every  smell  o'  brimstone." 

"  Yis,  Bunt,  ther  smell  o'  lucifer  am  allus  ar  sign 
o'  Satan,  same  ez  *  Sailor's  Snug  Harbor'  am  ther 
sign  o'  plenty  o'  rum  an'  land-sharks  tcr  steal  yer 
voy'ge.  Ah,  matey,  what's  ther  use  o'  bein'  so 
pesky  wicked  whin  yees young?  Whin  yer  git  ole. 


"  GAWD'S    FADERLY    WAY."  175 

it  keeps  yer  pump-well  full  o'  bilge  water,  an'  turns 
yer  sails  tan-color,  like  ar  Roosian  coaster  up  ther 
Baltic." 

"Yees  rite,  ther',  shipmate.  Blame  me  ef  my 
ole  sins  ain't  breakin'  stowage  ;  gittin'  res'rected,  till 
ev'ry  sin  am  big  as  ar  goney.  Say,  Tom,  what  fur 
duz  ther  Lord  let  ar  feller  carry  sail  so  whin  he's  ar 

kid?" 

"Why,  Ben,  it  am  ar  faderly  way  fur  Gawd  ter 
gin  ev'ry  craft  ar  free  sheet  an'  ar  bully  breeze,  jist 
ter  test  ar  chap's  p'ints  o'  sailin'.  Then,  ef  yer  don't 
mind  ther  logarithms  in  ther  good  book,  yer  runs 
aground  in  shoal  places,  —  an'  shoals  am  sins,  yer 

kno', an'  bumpin'  on  um  sort  o'  hogs  ther  keel  an' 

strains  ther  top-hamper.     Thet's  ther  'hole  law  an' 
gawspel  on  it." 

"Ah,  vis,  Tom,  yer  hev  'splained  it  nicely,  'caus 
yer  had  ther  ben'rit  uv  edication  ;  but  my  ole  mammy 
kicked  ther  bucket  whin  I's  small,  an'  I  tuck  ter 
fishin'  soon  ez  1  quit  nussin.  Then  ther  Lord  let  me 
carry  sail  too  much,  till  I  sprung  my  masts  an'  split 
my  taup'-sil,  an'  I's  bin  driftin'  —  like  are  water 
logged  hulk  —  ever  since.  Driftin'  so  long  thet  ther 
Lord's  furgut  ole  Ben,  an'  I  spose  I  shall  drift,  drift, 
with  never  ar  hclpin'  ban',  till  I  scorch  my  lee-leaches 
try  in'  ter  weather  ther  brimstone  port." 

"  Yis,  ole  messmate,  it  am  tough  sailin'  fur  us  all. 
Don't  I  wish  I  could  tack  back,  an'  be  ar  small  boy, 
as  I  useter  was  ;  livin'  wid  ole  muther  Crawford  at 
ther  South  Cove.  Ah,  Ben,  I  feels  her  soft  ban'  on 


170  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

my  ole  head  now,  strokin'  me  brown  locks.  An'  I 
hears  her  sayin',  *  Tommy,  dear  Tommy,  'member 
ther  Lord  thy  Gawd,  an'  ke'p  his  cumrnan'ments.' 
Them's  her  last  sailin'  orders  ter  little  Tommy.  An' 
I've,  nailed  'em  to  ther  mast,  Ben,  an'  ther'  they  is. 
An'  sink  ur  swim,  them  orders  an'  ole  Tom  will  go 
down  togedder !  " 

1  'As  fur  me,  matey,  I'd  too  hard  ar  row  ter  hoe 
ter  wish  ter  live  it  all  over  agin.  All  ther  advise 
leedle  Benny  ever  gut,  in  them  days,  wuz  fruin  ther 
land-sharks :  '  Make  any  port  in  ar  storm,  Benny,' 
sez  they.  An'  them  durned  sharks  kep  pipin'  ther 
lingo  so  of'en  inter  willin'  ears  —  allus  stickin'  ter 
ther  same  text  —  thet  ole  Ben  hev  nailed  their  lesson 
to  ther  mast,  an'  we'll  go  down  togedder.  Fur 
ther's  no  manshun  in  ther  sky  fur  me,  Tom." 

The  hoary-headed  cronies  wept  repentant  tears 
while  leaning  on  each  other's  shoulders  in  the  dark 
ness.  The  shriek  of  a  parrot  above  them  recalled 
the  men's  thoughts  to  their  surroundings  aimin. 

O  O  O 

"Ugh  !  ain't  it  black,  though?  Why  duzen't  ther 
mate  haul  his  wind  out  o'  this  'ere?"  ejaculated 
Crawford,  with  a  shudder. 

"Ther  bogies  am  gittin'  ez  thick  in  ther  darkness 
ez  cockroaches  in  ar  bread  kid,"  rejoined  his  com 
panion. 

"  Do  yer  kno',  Ben,  thet  I'm  wish'n  ole  Joe  Bai 
ley  wuz  'ere,"  —  an  epidemic  of  piety  having  seized 
Tom  for  the  moment. 

"What  good  could  ther  ole  Wizard  do  yer, 
Tom?" 


UNEARTHLY   NOISES.  177 

"Why,  gawspel  folk  duz  say  tliet  pray'n'  am  ar 
kind  o'  binnacle  lite  in  dark  times.  Them's  ther 
sort  o'  conundrums  thct  ole  muther  Crawford  useter 
cram  inter  my  gizzard,  whin  I'd  bin  spearin'  cats 
'sted  uv  goin'  ter  skule  ter  ole  marm  Folger." 

"  Well,  I  wudn't  min'  takin'  ar  trick  at  pray'n'  ef 
it  am  ar  sure  cure.  What  do  yer  think,  Tom?" 
said  Buntline  with  a  hopeful  voice. 

"  No  use,  Ben.  Ther  Devil's  gut  ar  mor'gage  on 
ev'ry  timber  in  yer  ole  hulk,"  replied  Tom,  with  a 
view  to  self-preservation. 

"Yees  rite,  matey.  Sorry  thet  I  owned  up. 
I'm  gittin'  awful  skeered  fur  doin'  thet,  wid  ther 
Devil's  dungeon  rite  under  our  lee."  And  the 
breath  of  the  old  croaker  came  loud  and  fast  with 
a  new  fear. 

During  the  time  that  Tom  and  Ben  were  groping 
about  the  boat  in  the  ghost-haunted  darkness,  the 
mate,  with  others  of  the  crew,  Avas  hovering  on  the 
brink  of  the  cavern,  endeavoring  to  work  through 
the  tangled  vines  into  the  woods.  Braybrook  had 
succeeded  in  getting  a  glimpse  of  the  Fire  Cross 
through  the  dense  foliage,  but  further  use  of  knives 
in  cutting  away  the  under-brush  proved  too  labori 
ous,  and  the  toilsome  task  was  abandoned. 

While  the  men  were  at  work,  Billy  Livingston, 
the  after-oarsman,  had  been  standing  on  the  shore  at 
the  cavern's  mouth,  curious  about  the  strange  noises 
heard  in  under  the  over-arching  shore.  When  the 
mate  was  leaving,  Billy  called  his  attention  to  the 


178  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

noises.  Braybrook  and  Hoogley  came  to  the  cave, 
and  stood  listening  beside  the  boy  while  he  re-stated 
what  he  had  heard. 

Their  attention  was  soon  attracted  by  a  harsh, 
grating  noise  deep  in  under  the  mouth  of  the  cave, 
accompanied  by  a  strange,  gurgling  sound,  like  that 
of  a  drowning  man.  It  was  as  if  two  rough,  sandy 
surfaces  were  abrading  each  other,  or,  perhaps,  one 
sandy  surface  rubbing  briskly  against  the  coral  wall. 
Whatever  it  \vas,  it  jarred  the  shore  where  the  men 
stood  like  the  vibrations  of  an  earthquake. 

Even  the  mate  showed  uneasiness  at  this  unac 
countable  phenomenon,  and  led  the  way  buck  to  the 
"boat,  bidding  the  men  to  follow.  They  obeyed  with 
alacrity,  greatly  quickened  by  their  fears  ;  all  but 
Billy,  who  lingered  a  moment,  having  discovered 
something  new  at  the  mouth  of  the  cave.  He  called 
to  his  shipmates  before  they  were  iifty  feet  away, 
exclaiming  in  a  boyish,  joyful  tone  : 

"  Wait,  wait !  Come  back  here,  boys.  Here's  a 
big  fire-fish,  or  something,  in  the  cave.  Oh,  it's 
splendid  !  " 

All  turned  and  looked  back  and  saw  the  dusky 
form  of  the  boy.  He  stood  facing  thetn  with  his 
back  to  the  cavern.  As  they  approached  within 
twenty  feet  of  him,  they  were  just  in  time  to  see 
something  reach  up  out  of  the  submerged  cave. 
twenty  feet  above  the  boy's  head,  appearing  like  a 
gigantic  serpent  fifty  feet  long,  gleaming  with  a 
blue-green  flame  color  that  fairly  illuminated  the 
spot  where  the  boy  stood. 


KILLED    BY    THE    MONSTER. 

With  one  accord  every  voice  shouted  to  Billy  to 
run;  but  before  the  boy  could  comprehend  the 
necessity  for  so  doing  the  enormous  snake-like 
creature  reached  down  and  snatched  him  up  by  the 
head  and  shoulders,  and  drew  itself  quickly  back 
into  the  cavern's  mouth. 

One  wild  shriek  rang  out  over  the  bay,  terrifying 
the  people  aboard  the  ship,  and  announcing  to  the 
mate  that  something  dreadful  had  happened. 

Braybrook  came  running  back,  to  find  that  brave 
little  Billy  Avas  gone  forever.  A  sense  of  horror 
crept  over  them  all,  to  think  that  such  a  fiendish 
monster  was  living  in  their  midst. 

Billy  was  a  bright,  curly-headed  boy  of  fifteen, 
loved  by  all  on  board.  When  the  mate  reached  the 
cave  nothing  was  to  be  seen  but  Billy's  hat  tossing 
on  the  phosphorescent  water,  and  floating  slowly  out 
into  the  bay.  Only  that,  and  the  rumbling,  grating, 
gurgling  noises  made  by  the  monster  far  in  under 
the  coral  arch,  could  be  distinguished,  as  evidence 
of  the  tragic  event  that  had  occurred. 

As  there  was  no  place  on  the  adjacent  shore  where 
the  men  could  defend  themselves  from  a  similar 
attack,  the  mate  hurried  the  crew  to  the  boat, 
pushed  off  from  the  shore,  and  pulled  quickly  to  the 
ship.  Young  Livingston's  death  was  sad  news  to 
his  shipmates,  fore-and-aft,  for  the  boy  was  a  general 
favorite  with  all. 

Captain  and  officers  held  a  council,  and  it  was 
deemed  necessary  to  make  immediate  preparations 


180  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

to  resist  an  attack  from  this  unknown,  serpent-like 
monster.  For  all  believed  that  his  taste  of  blood 
would  induce  him  to  make  further  search  for  man- 
food. 

The  cutting  spades  were  laid  out  on  the  top  of  the 
cabin  and  top-gallant  forecastle,  with  a  short  spade 
placed  in  each  of  the  tops.  Twenty  muskets  were 
loaded  with  buckshot ;  the  two  swivel  guns  were 
loaded  with  a  double  handful  of  bullets  and  mounted 
on  the  monkey-rails  of  each  quarter.  A  charge  of 
grape-shot  was  put  into  the  six-pound  cannon,  and  a 
port-fire  made  ready  for  use. 

A  boat's  crew  watch  was  then  set,  headed  by  an 
officer,  instead  of  the  boat  steerer,  with  orders  to 
call  out  all  hands  if  anything  unusual  appeared.  It 
was  nearly  one  o'clock  before  quiet  was  restored, 
and  the  crew  went  to  their  berths. 

About  an  hour  after,  Mr.  Antoine's  attention  was 
aroused  by  a  harsh,  grating  noise  in  the  direction  of 
the  Fire  Cross,  as  if  the  coral  reef  was  being  ground 
to  powder.  This  noise  was  followed  by  a  sudden 
glow  of  phosphorescence,  seen  at  the  mouth  of  the 
cavern,  which  soon  increased,  till  the  dense  dark 
ness  of  the  place  was  lit  up  by  a  sheet  of  phosphoric 
Hame  —  as  when  a  shark  or  a  whale  flounders  in  the 
water  during  an  east  wind,  and  illuminates  the  sea. 

In  another  minute  out  rushed  some  monstrous 
creature,  big  as  a  whale,  enveloped  in  flume,  like  a 
huge  salamander  come  to  burn  up  the  bay.  He 
made  his  way  round  the  southern  crescent  of  the 


THE    DEVIL-FISH.  181 

harbor.  Sometimes  he  was  swimming,  with  his 
broad  back  level  with  the  water.  At  times  he  would 
stop,  and  remain  motionless,  as  if  he  were  listening; 
ending  by  raising  himself  twenty  feet  out  of  water, 
as  if  to  make  a  survey  of  his  surroundings. 

Both  the  officers  and  crew  were  appalled  at  what 
they  saw,  and  it  was  some  minutes  before  word 
was  passed  to  call  out  all  hands  without  making  a 
noise. 

Everybody  came  up  in  great  excitement,  and 
climbed  into  the  rigging,  or  upon  some  other  eleva 
tion,  to  Avatch  the  movements  of  the  strange  creature, 
till  at  length  they  were  called  down,  and  ordered  to 
keep  out  of  sight.  What  the  swimming  monster 
could  be,  none  had  determined.  His  size  Avas  so 
greatly  magnified  by  the  phosphorescent  glow  that 
his  body  seemed  as  wide  and  deep  as  the  ship. 

When  the  mammoth  thing  rose  up  out  of  water 
he  seemed  to  have  more  legs  than  a  spider ;  and 
from  the  fact  that  the  water  about  him  was  thirty 
feet  deep,  and  his  body  reared  twenty  feet  above  the 
surface,  it  was  evident  that  his  legs  were  fifty  feet 
long,  wrhile  his  body  seemed  to  be  sixty  feet  in 
length  and  thirty  feet  in  diameter. 

After  circling  around  two-thirds  of  the  shore  the 
great  beast  discovered  the  ship,  and  started  directly 
for  her.  He  came  creeping  along  on  his  numerous 
legs  till  the  water  deepened  enough  to  submerge 
his  body,  and  then  took  to  swimming,  so  as  to 
keep  his  head  above  the  surface.  As  he  came  near 


182  TILE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

the  ship  he  slowed  his  motion,  as  if  prompted  by 
caution,  though  coming  with  evil  intent.  It  was 
then,  while  in  fair  view  of  all  on  board,  that  Mr. 
Bailey  pronounced  it  to  be  a  gigantic  octopus  or 
devil-fish,  the  most  diabolical  creature  known  to 
ocean  rovers.  His  great,  glaring  eyes  were  as  large 
in  diameter  as  a  bushel  measure,  and  shone  with  a 
bluish,  ghastly  flame  that  made  one  shudder  to  look 
upon.  His  beak  was  ten  feet  in  length,  and  hooked 
at  the  end  like  an  eagle's.  Most  terrible  of  all  were 
his  stupendous  tentacles,  big  as  the  main-mast  at 
their  base,  and  snakey  and  sinuous  as  the  trunk  of 
an  elephant. 

As  he  came  very  near  to  the  ship  the  water 
shoaled  to  forty  feet,  so  that  the  monster  could  stand 
on  the  bottom  with  his  body  above  the  surface.  lie 
seemed  very  curious  about  the  Fleetwing.  After  he 
had  gazed  deliberately  at  her  awhile,  lifting  and 
lowering  himself  above  and  below  the  water,  seeking 
to  look  in  upon  the  deck  and  down  upon  the  keel,  he 
began  to  walk  deliberately  around  her  with  a  slow, 
majestic  motion. 

Occasionally  the  monster  dropped  his  body  into 
the  water  as  if  to  spy  under  the  ship.  At  such 
times  he  swam  with  his  tentacles  making  a  queer  sort 
of  corkscrew  motion,  —  a  reaching,  twisting,  clawing 
action,  —  made  up  of  as  many  hideous  contortions  as 
a  snake's.  When  the  octopus  came  to  the  whale's 
case  he  stopped  to  paw  it  about,  and  after  rolling  it 


HE    UNSHIPS    THE    RUDDER.  183 

over  and  over,  finally  grappled  it  with  four  of  his 
tentacles  and  lifted  the  vast  mass  up  to  his  beak. 
Not  being  able  to  bite  into  the  tough  white-horse,  he 
suddenly  dropped  it  back  to  the  bottom  and  again 
turned  his  attention  to  the  ship. 

The  great  beast  impressed  every  one  as  a  creature 
of  intelligence  and  fiendish  cunning,  and  it  was  be 
lieved  he  meant  to  seize  the  vessel  when  he  found  a 
weak  point  to  attack.  The  men  had  been  armed 
with  axes,  hatchets  and  cutting  spades,  and  ordered 
not  to  show  themselves  so  as  to  attract  the  attention 
of  the  big-eyed  creature. 

After  tramping  around  the  ship  the  second  time 
the  monster  suddenly  plunged  under  water  and 
crawled  under  the  counter.  He  grappled  the  keel 
with  some  of  his  herculean  arms  and  shook  the  ship 
till  she  trembled  from  keel  to  truck  and  rolled  from 
side  to  side,  as  if  wallowing  in  a  sea-way.  Feel 
ing  his  way  aft,  the  beast  caught  hold  of  the  rudder, 
and  finding  it  movable,  wrenched  it  from  its  strong 
pintles  and  left  it  dangling  beneath  the  stern 

Satisfied  that  there  was  nothing  to  his  taste  below 
water  he  came  to  the  surface  and  looked  about  once 
more.  Seeing  nothing  to  attract  him,  after  suiwey- 
ing  the  ship  with  one  of  his  great  green  eyes,  he 
started  slowly  for  the  outlet  of  the  harbor.  Increas 
ing  his  speed  as  he  went,  at  length  he  shot  quickly 
out  of  the  bay,  illuminating  the  water  like  a  meteor 
in  the  sky. 


184  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

Every  soul  in  the  ship  breathed  easier  when  the 
monster  was  gone.  The  last  of  his  fiery  wake  lit  up 
the  harbor  several  minutes  after  he  had  disappeared. 
No  further  disturbance  occurred  and  the  people  were 
again  sent  below  for  the  remainder  of  the  night. 


CHAPTER    XX. 

BATTLE    WITH    THE    DEVIL-FISH. 

THE  evening  of  another  busy  day  was  closing 
down  over  the  Fleetwing.  It  was  the  begin 
ning  of  a  much-dreaded  night  for  the  crew,  in  re 
membrance  of  the  newly-discovered  danger.  Dim 
and  mysterious  gathered  the  twilight  shadows  over 
the  thrifty  isle  and  the  beautiful  bay, — a  tropic 
scene  that  seemed  much  too  enchanting  to  harbor 

O 

aught  so  diabolical  as  was  Avitnessed  the  previous 
night. 

The  whole  aspect  of  sea  and  sky  was  calm  and 
peaceful,  while  a  million  of  twinkling  starbeams  were 
pavilioned  over  ship  and  bay.  The  night  air  was 
becoming  sufficiently  humid  to  absorb  and  dispense 
the  delicious  aroma  of  fruit,  flowers  and  the  spict- 
laden  trees,  which  during  the  heat  of  the  day  hold 
back  their  exhaling  fragrance  in  the  cool  coverts  of 
the  forest,  where  they  are  garnered  in  rich  abundance, 
to  await  the  coming  night. 

The  birds,  whose  evening  songs  were  quickly 
hushed  by  the  gathering  gloom,  now  chirped  their 

[185] 


TIIK    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

vesper  hymns  on  the  overhanging  boughs,  chorused 
by  the  singing  lizards  and  the  crooning  crickets,  — 
some  of  the  beneficent  influences  that  most  serve  to 
impress  the  heart  of  man  with  gratitude  to  his  Maker 
in  such  an  hour  of  danger. 

Part  of  the  day  had  been  occupied  unshipping 
and  repairing  the  rudder,  for  which,  luckily,  there 
were  spare  pintles  on  board  to  replace  the  two 
broken  ones.  The  rudder  had  not  yet  been  shipped 
in  its  place,  as  it  was  believed  that  the  octopus 
would  renew  his  attack,  and  might  seek  to  amuse 
himself  with  the  steering  apparatus  again. 

It  was  now  the  fifth  night  since  the  ghostly  Fire 
Cross  flaunted  its  fiery  symbol  among  the  tree-tops, 
creating  great  uneasiness  among  the  crew,  and 
appalling  the  more  superstitious  of  their  number; 
but  since  the  event  of  the  devil-fish  occurred,  —  a 
sea-beast  too  hideous  to  describe, — the  mystery  of 
the  Cross  had  become  a  mere  side-issue,  too  trivial 
for  serious  consideration. 

Yery  exciting  were  the  numerous  stories  of  sea- 
monsters  related  fore-andTaft  during  the  evening. 
There  were  several  on  board  who  had  encountered 
such  sea-devils,  though  of  a  much  smaller  type. 
Captain  Lawrence  and  Mr.  Bailey  thought  they  had 
seen  some  larger  ones,  at  a  distance,  from  the  mast 
head. 

"I  remember,"  said  Dr.  Greville,  after  the  mate 
and  third  mate  told  some  very  exciting  personal 
experiences,  ''that  Pliny  mentions  one  of  tlu-c 


STOIUES    OF    THE    OCTOPUS.  187 

monster  cephalopods,  seen  in  the  Mediterranean, 
whose  tentacuhi  were  thirty  feet  long.  Dr.  Schew- 
ediiiwer  also  speaks  of  a  tentaculum  found  entangled 
in  a  sperm  whale's  jaw  that  measured  twenty-seven 
feet,  considerable  more  of  which  was  dissected  from 
the  whale's  stomach,  where  it  was  half  masticated." 

"Yes,"  interrupted  the  captain,  "but  no  very 
large  ones  have  ever  been  seen  in  an  inner  sea.  They 
belong  to  the  deep-water  leviathans.  AVe  dis 
covered  one  while  cruising  on  the  off-shore  ground 
very  much  larger  than  this  unpleasant  neighbor  of 
ours.  He  lay  sunning  himself  on  the  surface  for  an 
hour  before  we  disturbed  him.  As  the  ship  ap 
proached,  w^e  got  a  good  observation  of  his  body 
and  beak.  His  back  was  a  dark  gray,  merging  into 
a  straw-color  on  the  belly.  There  were  ten  or 
twelve  black,  parallel  stripes  running  the  whole 
length  of  the  body. 

"  As  the  ship  came  within  an  eighth  of  a  mile  of 
the  creature  he  suddenly  lifted  his  body  thirty  feet 
out  of  water,  standing  on  his  many  spider-like  legs, 
which  bent  with  the  weight  of  his  body.  His  beak 
was  about  twelve  feet  long.  His  eyes  were  more 
than  two  feet  in  diameter,  and  seemed  bright  and 
knowing  as  a  land  animal's.  Having  made  his 
observation,  he  dropped  back  to  the  surface  and 
started  ahead,  propelling  himself  much  faster  than 
the  ship  sailed  in  the  live-knot  breeze." 

"But  what  we  want  to  know  about,"  said  the 
doctor,  "  is  their  fighting  power.  Judging  by  what 


188  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

small  ones  can  do,  large  ones  must  l>e  terrific.      Sir 
Grenville  Temple  relates  an    instance    that  he  wit 
nessed    at   Jerbeh  :      '  A    Sardinian   captain  was    in 
bathing,  in  plain  view  from  where  I  sat.     Suddenly 
one  of  his  feet  was  grappled    by  a    small   octopus. 
The  captain  struggled  to  wrench  his  foot  away,  but 
could  not.     He  then    tried  to  free  the    imprisoned 
foot  by  the  other,  which  was  instantly  seized,  and 
both  feet  were  held  fast.     The  desperate  man  then 
endeavored  to  free  the  feet  with  his   hands,  which 
were  grappled  by  other  tentacles.     The  large,  strong 
man  was  drawn    under,  crushed,  and    drowned    by 
the  beast,  lying  hidden  in  only  four  feet  of  water."1 
"  That  reminds  me,"  said  Captain  Lawrence,  "  of 
one  of  the  many  stories  told  by  Captain  Scammon, 
of  the  navy,   in  his  costly  volume,   *  Marine  Mam 
malia.'    Said  Mr.  Owen  :  '  I  was  standing  on  the  shore 
at  Bonin  Island,  with   my  boat's  crew,  when  they 
discovered    a   small    octopus    propelling   himself   in 
through  the  surf  with  his  eight  tentacles.     He  kept 
his  body,  which  was  four   feet  long,  raised  out  of 
water  by  means  of  his  long,  flexible  legs,  that  bent 
greatly  under  his  weight. 

"  <  When  he  got  fairly  ashore,  the  creature  became 
alarmed  at  seeing  our  party,  and  began  to  retreat, 
I  left  my  men  at  their  work,  and  ran  forward  and 
put  my  foot  on  one  of  his  tentacles.  lie  liberated  it 
repeatedly,  in  spite  of  all  the  force  I  could  employ 
on  the  slippery  rocks.  I  then  caught  hold  of  one  of 
his  slimy  trunks,  in  good  position  to  use  all  my 


A    TERRIBLE    EXPERIENCE.  189 

strength,  and  it  seemed  :is  if  the  limb  must  be  torn 
asunder  by  our  united  force.  At  length,  giving  a 
powerful  jerk,  I  tore  the  little  brute  from  the  rocks. 
Instantly  the  enraged  creature  sprang  toward  me 
with  raised  head  and  threatening  beak,  his  big, 
fierce  eyes  projecting  from  their  sockets.  He  seized 
upon  my  bare  arm  with  several  tentacles,  and  then 
endeavored  to  bite  me  in  the  face  with  his  fierce 
beak,  which  he  kept  thrusting  out  from  between  his 
forward  arms. 

"  '  The  cold,  slimy  grasp  of  the  creature  was  sick 
ening  and  appalling.  I  could  hold  out  no  longer, 
and  called  aloud  for  help  ;  and  had  not  assistance 
come  quickly  I  should  have  been  dragged  into  the 
sea.  It  required  the  combined  force  of  the  crew, 
with  their  knives,  to  release  me  from  my  fiendish 
tormentor.'" 

"Well,  gentlemen,  your  cases  all  seem  to  be 
second-hand  ones,"  said  Bray  brook.  "  I'll  give  one 
more  experience  of  my  own  before  I  turn  in.  AVe 
were  bound  from  the  Soolu  Sea  to  the  Japan  ground, 
and  made  a  port  at  Loo  Choo  island,  hoping  to  get 
some  Irish  potatoes.  The  crop  was  not  quite  ripe,  so 
the  ship  put  out  for  a  three  weeks'  cruise,  leaving 
me  ashore  to  see  that  the  potatoes  were  dug,  bagged 
and  ready  to  be  shipped  at  the  appointed  time. 

"  I  made  a  point  of  bathing  nearly  every  day  in  a 
small  rocky  cove  ;  I  had  bathed  there  a  dozen  times 
without  seeing  anything  to  fear.  On  this  particular 
day  I  was  wading  about  from  one  rock  to  another, 


190  THE    ISLE    OF   PALMS. 

knocking  off  mussels  with  my  stick  and  eating  them 
on  the  spot.  In  stepping  down  between  two  rocks, 
while  trying  to  reach  a  big  cluster  of  mussels,  my 
leg  was  seized  by  an  octopus,  whose  body  I  after 
ward  discovered  over  beyond  the  rock,  thirty  feet 
away. 

"•  When  I  pulled  up  my  leg  the  tentacle  was  coiled 
once  and  a  half  around  it.  I  tried  with  all  my 
strength  to  slip  it  off,  but  it  squirmed  on  still 
another  coil ;  then  I  pounded  the  durned  thing  to  a 
jelly  with  my  club,  but  when  it  began  to  let  go  up 
come  another  tentacle  between  the  rocks,  and  clawed 
on  to  the  leg  above  the  first  one.  I  pounded  away 
at  the  second  claw,  and  up  came  two  more  tentacles, 
quick  as  a  Hash,  and  seized  both  of  my  legs  and 
pulled  me  down  so  close  between  the  rocks  that  I 
could  not  get  at  any  of  the  tentacles  with  my  stick. 

"At  that  stage  of  the  squabble  the  octopus 
crawled  up  over  the  rock  to  attack  me  with  his  beak, 
which  was  three  feet  long  and  hooked  like  a  parrot's. 
His  eyes  were  big  as  my  hat  and  all  aflame  with 
rage.  He  came  at  me  with  a  pecking  motion,  his 
sharp,  pointed  mandible  aimed  at  my  face.  I  let 
fly  with  my  stick  and  broke  off  the  hooked  part  of 
his  beak,  but  not  till  he  gouged  a  piece  out  of  my 
left  arm  with  his  lower  bill ;  then  I  punched  my 
stick  into  his  port  eye,  which  made  the  beast  hiss 
at  me  like  a  mother  goose.  He  finally  retreated 
back  behind  the  rock  and  did  not  show  his  head 
again. 


THE    BEAST    HELD    FAST.  191 

"There  I  lay,  held  fast  for  six  hours.  When  I 
moved  my  legs,  endeavoring  to  withdraw  them,  the 
tentacles  tightened  their  grip  and  held  me  firm  to  the 
rocks.  The  tide  was  at  half  ebb  when  the  fight  be 
gan,  and  it  was  now  running  flood  strong,  and  in 
another  hour  would  submerge  and  drojvn  me  where 
I  lay.  It  wasn't  a  pleasant  pickle  to  be  in,  for  a 
sailor  man  loves  best  to  die  fighting ;  but  there  was 
nothing  in  my  reach  but  the  slippery  black  rocks, 
covered  with  kelp,  and  over  beyond  was  the  rank- 
smelling  foe,  invisible,  and  out  of  reach  of  my 
blows. 

"As  the  tide  rose  so  as  to  cover  my  legs,  a 
friendly  tentacle  came  stealing  up  over  the  top  of 
the  rock,  feeling  about  with  great  solicitude  to  find 
out  if  I  was  pleasantly  situated.  When  the  slimy 
claw  came  in  fair  reach  1  let  fly  the  club  and  bruised 
it  beautifully  on  the  sharp  rock  ;  but  still  another 
tentacle  made  its  appearance  before  the  crushed  one 
was  withdrawn,  and  I  served  that  with  two  good 
blows  before  it  got  away. 

"  But  the  beast  held  fast  to  his  grip  on  the  legs, 
and  the  end  was  approaching  fast.  I  think  I  swore 
a  little  if  I  remember  rightly.  I  had  never  learned 
to  pray  and  it  didn't  occur  to  me  as  being  available 
in  such  a  crisis.  I  got  madder  and  madder  as 
the  tide  lapped  up  around  my  waist  and  chilled  me 
to  the  heart.  1  strained  every  muscle  to  rise  up  for 
one  more  look  over  the  rock,  just  to  shake  my  fist  at 
the  durned  sea-beast  and  let  him  know  that  I  died 


192  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

game  ;  but  I  couldn't  budge  an  inch  from  where  I 
stood,  and  I  died  a  dozen  deaths  in  the  next  lew 
minutes. 

"  Just  then  I  heard  a  shout.  Looking  behind  me 
I  saw  the  dear  old  ship  running  in  to  her  anchorage. 
I  hailed  for  a,  boat  with  cutting  spades,  and  told  the 
captain  that  I  was  held  fast  by  an  octopus.  The 
crew  worked  lively,  and  pulled  to  the  rescue  just  as 
the  tide  swashed  up  about  my  neck.  There  was  five 
feet  of  water  on  the  other  side  of  the  rock,  but  it 
was  clear  water  and  the  tentacles  ought  to  have  been 
in  plain  sight.  Not  a  thing  could  be  seen  of  them  ; 
they  were  buried  beneath  the  kelp,  as  was  the  octo 
pus  himself;  but  a  few  thrusts  of  the  spade  found 
the  tentacles  and  cut  them  adrift,  and  I  buoyed  up 
to  the  surface  like  a  bladder  just  as  the  water  rose 
up  over  my  mouth. 

4 'The  spade-cuts  brought  the  beast  into  action 
even  before  I  could  be  drawn  into  the  boat,  with  the 
several  tentacles  still  coiled  about  my  paralyzed  legs. 
The  octopus  seized  the  oars,  one  after  another,  and 
at  length  caught  the  boat  by  the  gunwale  and  came 
near  capsizing  her ;  but  the  two  spades  were  kept 
busy,  and  the  creature  was  fought  oil'  and  we  escaped. 
In  the  morning  I  will  show  you  the  ten  big  sears  on 
my  leg  made  by  his  claws,  which  I  keep  to  remember 
that  old  friend  by." 

The  captain  now  interrupted  the  story-telling,  and 
bade  the  mate  set  the  watch  and  order  the  rest  of  the 
crew  below.  Uncle  Joe  took  the  tirst  of  (lie  mid- 


OUT  RUSHED  THE  OCTOPUS.          193 

night  watches ;  Captain  Lawrence  and  the  doctor 
continued  up  awhile  longer ;  the  other  officers  had 
been  in  their  berths  about  an  hour,  and  everything 
was  quiet  on  the  ship  and  about  the  bay. 

Suddenly  a  slight  noise  was  heard  in  the  direction 
of  the  devil's  cavern,  which  attracted  all  eyes,  and 
out  rushed  the  octopus,  making  his  way  slowly 
toward  the  ship  ;  he  came,  as  on  the  night  before,  all 
alight  with  a  green  flame,  which  brightened  as  the 
great  beast  quickened  his  speed.  The  hands  were 
called  out  quickly,  and  every  man  sent  to  the 
station  previously  assigned  him :  while  renewed 
orders  were  given  to  all  not  to  show  tfiemselves,  or 
in  any  way  attract  the  attention  of  the  devil-fish. 

Braybrook,  with  spade  in  hand,  and  Long  Tom  and 
Ben  to  assist  him,  took  charge  of  the  quarter-deck  ; 
the  second  mate,  with  his  boat's  crew,  was  stationed 
on  the  port  side,  amidships  ;  Mr.  Bailey  and  his  crew 
were  on  the  starboard  side,  abreast  of  the  fore  rig 
ging ;  and  Mr.  Antoine,  with  a  few  men,  had  charge 
of  the  bow.  The  officers  and  boat  steerers  stationed 
themselves  so  that  they  could  watch  the  movements 
of  the  creature,  while  the  men  w^ere  ordered  to 
crouch  under  the  rail,  and  were  mostly  sitting  on  the 
planksheer.  In  this  order  they  awaited  the  attack 
which  all  apprehended. 

The  octopus  stopped  to  listen  when  about  a 
hundred  feet  from  the  vessel.  He  had  taken  up  his 
position  out  on  the  starboard  beam  with  great  delib 
eration,  showing  nothing  of  his  previous  haste  and 


!>  TIIK     ISIJ-:    OF    PALMS. 

fury.  Presently  lie  raised  liimsclf  out  of  water  to 
the  utmost  stretch  of  his  legs,  very  intent  to  look 
in  upon  deck,  showing  great  method  and  cunning 
in  his  every  movement. 

It  was  now,  for  the  first  time,  discovered  that  the 
monster  had  ten  legs  instead  of  eight.  lie  was 
therefore  a  decapod,  —  a  species  rarely  encountered, 
and  said  to  be  more  ferocious  fighters  than  the 
octopus.  The  great  sea-devil  seemed  to  scent  the 
men,  or  was  attracted  by  some  noise  on  board,  for 
he  suddenly  thrust  his  ten-foot  beak  into  the  air  and 
hissed  like  a  serpent,  and  seemed  to  be  working 
himself  into  a  frenzy. 

His  next  movement  was  to  settle  under  water, 
advance  nearer  the  ship  and  move  forward  under  the 
bow.  First  he  seized  hold  of  the  chain  bobstay  with 
some  show  of  curiosity,  and  then  tipped  the  ship  by 
the  bow  and  let  her  rise  again  at  his  pleasure.  He 
accomplished  no  harm  until  he  thrust  up  another 
tentacle  and  grappled  the  martingale  guy,  which  he 
parted  without  an  effort,  leaving  the  dolphin-striker 
dangling  about.  This  attracted  his  attention  and  he 
continued  to  reach  up  ;  grasping  hold  of  the  11  y ing- 
jib-stay  he  snapped  off  the  boom  at  the  cap-iron, 
as  he  had  probably  amused  himself  breaking  limbs 
from  some  forest  tree. 

Feeling  his  way  along  the  keel  he  then  began  to 
rock  the  ship  violently  for  ten  minutes,  till  the?  crew 
had  to  cling  fast  upon  whatever  they  could  hold  to  ; 
when  this  failed  to  amuse  him  he  rose  to  the  surface 


ATTACKS    THE    SHIP.  195 

in  his  old  position  on  the  starboard  beam.  Intent 
upon  examining  in-board,  he  no  wthrust  one  of  his 
largest  tentacles  against  the  side,  and  slid  it  up 
over  the  main  rail,  midway  between  Bray  brook  and 
Bailey. 

Feeling  about  in  the  darkness  like  a  great  boa- 
constrictor,  the  monster  chanced  upon  the  cook, 
who  with  others  was  crouched  thereabouts,  lie 
clawed  quickly  into  the  negro's  pea-jacket — includ 
ing  a  quarter-section  of  his  wool  ;  with  a  hideous 
yell  the  terrified  negro  sprang  away  and  leaped 
bodily  down  the  main  hatch,  leaving  his  jacket  and 
a  valuable  sample  of  his  scalp  clutched  fast  by  the 
tentacle.  Not  contont  with  escaping,  minus  a  trifle 
of  wjol,  the  horrified  C  mgo  began  to  shout  lustily 
from  the  hold  : 

"  Holy  muther  !  Save  dis  niggar.  Save  dis  po' 
chile  jes  one  time  mo'.  Den  I'll  'pent,  sartin  sure  !  '' 
Apparently  scenting  poor  Congo  by  the  sample 
of  wool  in  its  grasp,  with  the  intelligence  of  an 
elephant's  trunk  the  knowing  tentacle  slid  quickly 
down  over  the  combings  of  the  hatch  into  the  blub 
ber  room,  feeling  savagely  about  for  the  negro,  who 
had  crawled  away  among  the  casks. 

Not  succeeding  in  finding  its  game  among  the 
trumpery  belowr,  the  animated  tentacle  grappled  to 
the  mainmast,  and  the  battle  was  really  begun. 
Without  making  any  apparent  effort  to  show  its 
strength,  the  great  sea-beast  easily  drew  the  ship 
over  on  her  beams  with  one  tentacle. 


THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

Now  Avas  the  tini3  for  brave  men  to  act,  before  the 
ship  was  sunk  where  she  lay.  AVhile  the  decapod 
kept  up  a  constant  glow  of  phosphorescence  in  the 
dark  waters,  still  it  was  difficult  for  the  officers  to 
distinguish  in  the  darkness  aboard  just  where  the 
tentacle  grappled  the  ship  and  held  her  careened  to 
the  scuppers.  Searching  for  it  in  the  darkness, 
Braybrook  and  Bailey  crawled  along  on  the  inner 
side  of  the  bulwarks,  from  opposite  directions,  and 
came  upon  the  great  black  trunk  at  the  same  time. 

Uncle  Joe  was  badly  placed  for  work,  but  Brav- 
brook  braced  himself  against  the  main  swifter  and 
with  quick,  strong  blows  drove  his  spade  through 
the  sandy  hide  and  tough  sinews  now  drawn  tightly 
across  the  rail.  The  snakish  thing  snapped  with  a 
sharp  twang,  as  when  a  ship's  hawser  under  great 
strain  goes  asunder,  and  the  ship  righted  with  a  rush. 

Seven  yards  of  the  severed  trunk  fell  in-board, 
being  large  as  the  topmast  where  it  was  cut  oil'.  The 
claw-end  let  go  its  hold  of  the  mainmast  and  tumbled 
down  the  hatchway,  contorting  like  a  wounded  ser 
pent.  Squirming  about  among  the  casks  it  clawed 
up  the  deck  by  the  pailful,  as  animated  as  ever. 
Burrowing  among  the  blubber  tubs  it  approached 
near  to  the  half-dead  Congo,  whose  yells  again  made 
the  hold  seem  full  of  infuriated  demons. 

Though  the  ship  righted  at  once,  she  continued  to 
roll  fearfully,  at  the  risk  of  straining  her  masts. 
While  the  severed  tentacle  was  withdrawn  for 
hospital  service,  two  other  tentaeula  were  instant Iv 


UNCLE    JOE    IN    DANGER.  197 

sent  out  to  retaliate  for  the  injury.  The  forward  one 
sprang  up  the  side  and  grappled  the  rail  within  easy 
reach°of  Uncle  Joe,  who  slashed  away  with  his  spade 
and  severed  five  feet  of  the  claw-end,  which  caused 
it  to  be  quickly  withdrawn  ;  but  not  before  another 
lively  member  of  the  same  family  had  crawled 
stealthily  up  the  side  behind  the  third  mate,  clutched 
at  the  old  man's  panama  and  its  woolly  contents, 
allowing  the  old  hero  the  briefest  possible  time  to 
duck  down  and  spring  away  forward  out  of  reach. 
Great  was  Uncle  Joe's  surprise,  when  he  felt  anx 
iously  about  for  his  aged  head,  to  find  it  safe  and 
sound  upon  his  shoulders ;  for  the  cold  shiver 
caused  by  the  sudden  wrench  and  the  slimy  touch 
imparted  a  feeling  similar  to  being  decapitated  by  a 
guillotine. 

Failing  to  hold  fast  to  the  peaked,  black  head,  the 
gigantic  tentacle  seized  fast  to  the  topmast  backstay, 
broke  the  dead-eye  from  the  strap-iron,  and  together 
the  trunk  and  stay  swung  out  into  the  darkness  be 
yond  the  reach  of  spades. 

While  that  had  been  going  on  forward,  two  other 
massive  tentacles  came  leaping  up  the  side  near 
Bray  brook's  position.  The  first  to  appear  caught 
hold  of  the  monkey-rail  near  Tom  and  Buntline. 
The  mate  and  the  two  seamen  got  ready  their  spades 
for  cutting,  but  before  they  could  get  in  a  blow  the 
rail  gave  way  and  went  afloat.  The  real  danger  was 
from  the  other  tentacle,  for  the  maddened  beast  was 
now  doing  his  work  with  savage  frenzy ;  he  seized 


198  TIIK     ISLK    OF     1' A  I.MS. 

upon  the  mum  swifter  tit  the  (load-eye,   and 

the  mate  was  in  position  to  act,  the  lanyard  parted, 

and  the  swifter  swung  out-board  far  out  of  reaeh. 

Here  was  a  danger  too  appalling  to  think  of! 
Certain  destruction  faced  them  at  this  moment.  The 
cunning  sea-devil  had  easily  outwitted  the  best  in 
telligence  on  board.  With  such  activity  as  might 
well  be  expected  in  a  creature  of  such  malicious 
cunning,  he  had  now  only  to  tip  over  the  ship  and 
spill  the  crew  into  the  bay,  and  then  gorge  himself 
at  his  pleasure  at  a  human  fe  ist ;  taking  his  foreign 
dessert  alive  and  kicking,  in  the  raw,  — clothes  and 
all,  as  little  Billy  had  been  devoured. 

It  will  easily  be  seen  that  the  ship  had  been  taken 
at  the  greatest  possible  disadvantage.  Held  fast  by 
the  swifter  and  backstay,  —  two  of  the  largest  ropes 
in  the  ship,  the  one  rope  pulling  straight  out  from 
the  topmast-head,  the  other  from  the  head  of  the 
mainmast,  both  far  out  of  reach  of  spades, — the 
great  decapod  had  increased  his  leverage  to  capsi/e 
the  vessel  one  hundred-fold. 

With  keen  intelligence  and  malicious  cunning  the 
monster  drew  the  ship  steadily  down  to  her  doom. 
Pulling  with  careful,  concerted  action  on  the  two 
ropes,  he  watched  the  towering  masts  and  the  creak 
ing  yards  descend,  till  the  yard-arms  dipped  in  the 
bay;  but  this  pleasant  prelude  to  sinking  the  ship 
was  happily  interrupted  for  a  time. 

By  some  strange  interposition  for  good  the  ship 
now  gave  a  sudden  lee-lurch  —  owing  to  >hifiing  of 


THK'   WOUNDED    MONSTER.  109 

cargo  in  the  hold  —  which  sent  the  end  of  the  main 
yard  crashing  down  through  the  humped-up  back  of 
the  sea-beast.  Believing  it  was  a  blow  purposely 
given  him  by  his  antagonist,  as  the  creaking  yards 
seemed  to  him  a  cry  of  pain,  the  anger  shown  by 
the  creature  was  terrific.  Seizing  the  yard-end  in 
his  hooked  mandible,  he  wrung  and  twisted  the 
stout  spar,  breaking  it  short  off  at  the  sheave-hole. 
There  was  a  most  malignant  expression  in  the  huge 
green  eyes  of  the  beast  during  his  moments  of  ex 
cessive  anger  that  struck  terror  to  the  hearts  of  all. 
And  yet  the  great  eyes  of  the  creature  had  appeared 
mild,  expressive  and  iridescent  in  his  passive 
moments. 

Most  unpleasant  to  the  ear  were  the  occasional 
shrieks  and  the  continual  hissings  of  the  mad  animal 
after  the  yard  pierced  through  his  back.  The  beast 
had  borne  the  amputation  of  his  trunks  with  com 
mendable  patience,  perhaps  because  he  knew  that 
they  would  grow  again,  as  with  all  cephalopods. 

The  darkness  had  been  too  great  for  Captain  Law 
rence  to  see  much  that  was  going  on,  from  his  station 
on  the  cabin-deck,  until  the  furious  monster  was  hurt 
and  increased  the  blue-green  glow  about  him.  This 
enabled  the  captain  to  comprehend  the  situation,  and 
see  the  imperative  necessity  for  action. 

Knowing  that  there  was  a  spade  in  the  main-top, 
he  sprang  over  on  the  quarter-rail  and  crept  along  to 
the  larboard  shrouds.  He  ascended  the  rigging  with 
difficulty,  as  the  ship  was  well  down  on  her  side,  and 


200  TIIK     1SLK    OF    PALMS. 

soon  acquired  a  position  to  hack  away  at  the  upper 
end  of  the  swifter.  It  required  many  vigorous  blows 
to  sever  such  a  massive  shroud  when  parcelled  and 
hard-served  with  spun-yarn  as  a  swifter. 

Though  in  an  awkward  position  for  work  the  cap 
tain's  blows  were  delivered  hard  and  fast  on  the 
tough  shroud.  And  need  enough  there  was  for  ac 
tivity,  for  the  sea-devil  had  cooled  down  his  rage 
and  began  to  put  forth  his  power  with  renewed  in 
telligence.  Finding  that  he  was  still  within  reach 
of  the  yard-arms,  the  devil-fish  sent  out  one  after 
another  of  his  out-board  tentacles,  until  the  whole  five 
outer  trunks  had  clawed  into  the  rock-bottom.  He 
then  suddenly  drew  his  body  thirty  feet  farther  away 
from  the  ship.  This  gave  him  still  greater  leverage 
to  pull  the  vessel  down. 

Before  the  swifter  was  half  cut  off  the  spade-pole 
broke  off  at  the  socket  and  the  captain  was  left 
helpless  for  want  of  tools.  lie  hailed  the  deck  for 
another  spade  and  an  axe.  A  groan  of  anguish  es 
caped  him  as  he  saw  the  ship  steadily  drawn  over 
until  her  open  hatchways  were  threatened  and  her 
unfinished  deck  work  was  already  taking  in  water, 
which  must  end  by  sinking  her. 

While  waiting  for  a  new  spade  the  captain  discov 
ered  for  the  first  time  that  the  devil-fish  was  also 
holding  the  ship  down  by  a  forward  backstay.  This 
discovery  greatly  diminished  the  hope  of  saving  his 
ship,  until  at  length  he  made  the  further  discovery 
that  Morcy  was  chopping  lustily  at  the  slay  with  a 


MOREY'S  RINGING  BLOWS.  201 

hatchet.  It  was  an  awkward  place  in  which  to 
work,  on  a  horizontal  mast  pulled  down  nearly  level 
with  the  water,  and  his  tool  was  none  of  the  best 
for  such  a  purpose,  for  the  stay  was  hard  and  glassy 
with  sun-dried  tar,  and  the  hatchet  glanced  from  it 
as  from  a  flinty  rock. 

Tom  climbed  to  the  captain's  aid  with  a  new  spade 
and  Buntline  followed,  bringing  a  sharp  axe.  Seizing 
the  fresh  instrument  in  a  spirit  of  desperation,  Cap 
tain  Lawrence  drove  the  tool  savagely  into  the  half- 
cut  swifter,  delivering  his  blows  hard  and  fast.  At 
the  tenth  stroke  the  pine  handle  broke  at  the  socket 
as  before.  Then  Buntline's  axe  was  taken  in  hand 
and  plied  quickly,  and  soon  the  severely  strained 
rope  parted  and  fell  into  the  bay. 

AVhen  the  swifter  was  cut  the  whole  strain  was 
taken  by  the  backstay,  which  still  held  fast,  though 
it  tipped  the  ship  by  the  head  and  relieved  the  inflow 
of  water  at  the  main  hatch  for  the  time. 

From  his  more  precarious  perch  on  the  cross-trees 
Morey  saw  what  the  captain  was  doing,  and  was  also 
made  aware  of  the  captain's  success  by  the  quick 
vibrations  that  ran  through  the  ship  and  her  sudden 
tip  by  the  bow.  The  brave  officer  became  conscious 
that  the  safety  of  the  ship  now  depended  wholly 
upon  him,  and  labored  with  his  hatchet  as  never 
before. 

Though  Morey  was  but  dimly  visible  to  his  ship 
mates,  yet  the  anxious  throbs  of  thirty  hearts  kept 
tally  of  his  ringing  blows,  and  thirty  pairs  of  wide 


202  TILE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

eyes  glared  out  through  the  darkness  to  inform 
themselves  of  his  welfare. 

Could  it  be  that  the  combined  magnetism  of  sixty 
eyes  thus  concentrated  on  the  brave  officer  should 
serve  to  draw  the  great,  flashing  eyes  of  the  devil 
fish  upon  him  and  his  doings?  Certain  it  is,  that  the 
whole  attention  of  the  cunning  beast  was  now  fixed 
upon  the  man  whose  blows  vibrated  the  rope  held 
by  the  four  tentacles. 

That  point  once  determined,  then  the  four  prehen 
sile  trunks  began  to  work  their  way  steadily  up  to 
the  cross-trees.  Pulling  hand-over-hand,  one  at  a 
time  the  huge  claws  reached  upward  and  shortened 
their  hold  in  the  direction  of  the  doomed  man.  At 
this  stage  a  fifth  tentacle  was  brought  into  play.  It 
was  the  ponderous  forward  trunk  of  the  right  side, 
ten  feet  longer  than  those  holding  the  backstay.  It 
came  fresh  and  nimble  to  its  work,  glided  swiftly 
along  the  backs  of  its  four  companions  and  reached 
fifteen  feet  beyond  the  others,  that  were  contracted. 

As  Morcy  paused  for  a  moment's  breath  and 
looked  up,  panting  from  his  labor,  the  terrified  offi 
cer  was  struck  dumb  to  find  himself  confronted  by  a 
fresh  tentacle  within  five  feet  of  his  head.  The 
massive  claw  was  raised  threateningly  aloft,  like  a 
serpent's  head  about  to  strike  its  foe.  It  was  armed 
with  a  double  -row  of  sharp,  hooked  fangs,  which 
kept  in  constant  nervous  action,  opening  wide  as  if 
to  enfold  its  prey,  and  then  clutching  sharply  to 
gether  till  the  horned  hooks  clicked  like  mcetin.ir 
rapiers. 


ONE    BLOW    FOR    HIS    LIFE.  203 

Knowing  that  the  destiny  of  thirty  souls  depended 
upon  him,  Morey  returned  bravely  to  his  task, 
which  seemed  nearly  accomplished.  Faster  and 
faster  rained  his  blows  on  the  glassy  stay,  and 
nearer  and  nearer  the  tentacle  approached,  till  the 
click  of  the  grasping  claws  tormented  his  ears,  and 
swerved  his  fast  weakening  blows  from  the  mark. 

But  a  single  hook  of  the  vast  claw  tore  out  the 
back  of  his  shirt,  and  Morey  turned  to  strike  one 
blow  in  defence  of  his  life.  lie  let  drive  his  hatchet 
into  the  clutching  thing,  which  closed  with  a  snap 
upon  the  weapon  and  wrenched  it  a\vay  and  let  it 
drop  into  the  water,  leaving  the  brave  man  help 
less  for  defence,  or  further  work  upon  the  stay.  In 
this  moment  of  desperation  Morey  drew  his  sheath- 
knife,  knelt  to  make  sure  of  his  blow,  and  stabbed 
with  frantic  plunges  at  the  ragged  cleft  in  the  stay. 
Aided  by  some  twisting  pull  of  the  tentacles,  the 
stay  parted,  and  the  doomed  ship  righted  with  a 
mighty  rush,  flinging  the  weak  and  exhausted  man 
a  hundred  feet  away  into  the  water  on  the  port 
beam. 

AVild  was  the  outcry  of  joy  from  the  Fleetwing's 
crew,  as  one  and  all  held  fast  as  best  they  could 
during  the  frantic  rolling  of  the  vessel,  which  was 
left  badly  careened  to  starboard  by  the  shifted 
cargo.  But  when  the  vessel  had  steadied  so  that 
the  men  could  stand  on  their  feet,  all  eyes  were 
turned  aloft,  in  search  of  their  preserver.  But  the 
rigging  was  empty. 


204  THE    ISLE    OF     PALMS. 

"  Spring  aloft  and  tind  the  second  mate  !  "  shouted 
the  captain. 

Iloogley  and  Long  Tom  sprang  into  the  rigging  like 
monkeys,  following  on  up  to  the  cross-trees,  where 
the  heroic  work  had  been  accomplished.  Xo  trace 
of  Morey  could  be  found. 

Just  then  a  faint  call  was  heard  out  on  the  dark 
water.  A  boat  was  lowered  away  and  pulled  to  the 
rescue,  and  found  Morcy  badly  bruised,  and  keep 
ing  himself  afloat  as  best  he  could.  lie  was  taken 
aboard  tenderly  and  put  in  charge  of  Dr.  Greville. 

The  gigantic  decapod  now  seemed  to  comprehend 
that  the  battle  had  gone  against  him.  Drawing  the 
severed  backstay  in  among  his  snarl  of  legs,  he 
bit  it  and  hooked  it  with  his  great  mandible,  in 
extremest  rage,  with  the  evident  expectation  of 
finding  something  upon  which  to  vent  his  spleen. 
Then  the  mad  beast  dropped  the  great  rope  to  the 
bottom,  and  suddenly  rose  up  out  of  water  to  the 
utmost  stretch  of  his  legs,  and  shrieked  like  a 
steam-whistle.  His  long,  hooked  bill  kept  pecking 
angrily  at  the  ship,  and  hissing  loudly,  as  if  about 
to  attack  her  again. 

Now  that  the  ship  had  stopped  rolling  was  the 
time  to  test  one  of  the  swivel  guns  upon  him.  He 
was  about  a  hundred  and  fifty  feet  distant.  P> ray- 
brook  pointed  the  gun  and  tired,  delivering  the 
charge  fairly  into  the  body.  AVitli  a  louder  shriek 
than  ever  the  wounded  beast  danced  up  and  down 
with  surprising  enemy,  his  eyes  emitting  ila>lu-  <»f 
fire. 


THE    DEAD    CONGO.  205 

Withdrawing  into  the  darkness,  till  his  motions 
were  dimly  distinguished,  the  monster  drew  up  his 
wounded  trunks,  one  by  one,  and  licked  them  with 
his  tongue  —  as  a  cat  might  dress  her  paws.  Then, 
with  a  slow,  dignified  movement,  that  was  heroic 
under  the  circumstances,  he  swam  away  to  the 
devil's  cavern,  and  was  seen  no  more  that  night. 

Great  was  the  relief  at  the  departure  of  the 
demon.  The  pump  well  was  sounded,  and  six  feet 
of  water  found  in  the  hold.  Both  pumps  were  hur 
riedly  manned  and  kept  briskly  going,  and  it  was 
six  long  hours  before  the  hold  was  free. 

Obtaining  a  lantern,  Uncle  Joe  climbed  down  into 
the  blubber  room  in  search  of  the  cook,  as  it  was 
time  to  start  up  the  galley  fire  for  the  morning  meal. 
Carefully  avoiding  treading  on  the  tentacle,  which 
was  deviously  coiled  among  the  casks  and  showed 
evidence  of  being  as  full  of  life  as  ever,  Mr.  Bailey 
and  his  men  at  length  found  poor  Congo.  The 
negro  was  stiff  in  the  slumber  of  death. 

He  had  succeeded  in  finding  a  place  where  the 
clawing  tentacle  could  not  reach  his  body,  though 
his  legs  were  exposed  to  the  fangs  of  the  beast. 
Poor  old  cook  !  his  Congo  fetish  not  appearing  in 
time  to  save  him,  he  had  died  from  excessive  fear, 
in  the  probable  belief  that  he  was  partly  eaten  up  by 
this  terrible  ghoul. 


CHAPTER   XXI. 

ENTRAPPING    SPERM    WHALES. 

THE  new  day  presented  a  variety  of  problems  for 
the  Fleetwing's  people  :  How  a  broken  main- 
yard  could  be  mended  and  made  good  as  new? 
I  low  a  head-boom  in  two  pieees  was  to  be  made 
whole,  and  sufficiently  strong  to  bear  the  strain  of 
an  over-large  flying-jib  ?  And,  finally ,  how  a  massive 
swifter  and  backstay  —  hard  as  iron  —  could  be 
spliced  and  not  be  made  too  short  for  practical 
use? 

Directly  after  breakfast  Mr.  Bailey  took  his  boat 
and  went  in  search  of  the  lost  shroud  and  backstay. 
The  water  was  so  clear  that  they  were  easily  found. 
By  the  aid  of  a  grapnel  the  crew  fished  them  up  and 
one  by  one  they  were  drawn  to  the  surface,  seen  KM! 
to  a  rope  brought  from  the  ship  and  hauled  on  board. 

As  there  was  no  new  rigging  on  board  large 
enough  for  shroud  or  stay,  the  riggers  were  com 
pelled  to  use  an  old  shroud,  put  aboard  for  making 
rope-yarns,  —  their  best  and  only  resource.  From 
this  opportune  piece  of  old  junk  some  fathoms  \\nv 

[200] 


REPAIRING    DAMAGES.  207 

cut,  to   lengthen  out   the  severed  ropes  for  splicing 
and  enough  to  turn  in  an  eye  about  the  mast-heads. 
Tom   Crawford   was   given    the   swifter,    and   old 
Buntline  tackled   the    backstay,  with  the   certainty 
that   the  best  possible   use   would   be   made   of  the 

materials   <nven   them   to   work  with.     A    kettle  of 
o 

boiling  tar  was  got  ready,  in  which  to  soak  the  hard, 
glassy  shrouds,  to  make  them  soft  and  pliable  for 
splicing.  By  noon  two  neat,  strong  splices  were 
made ;  the  mended  places  tarred,  parcelled  and 
served,  ready  to  go  aloft  after  the  mid-day  meal.  A 
four-stranded  rope,  with  a  clumsy  heart  to  deal  with, 
is  most  awkward  to  handle,  and  only  the  best  sea 
men  are  equal  to  the  task.  The  swifter  had  been  so 
clawed  and  bitten  by  the  devil-fish  —  in  search  of 
what  he  could  find  within  —  that  much  of  the  spun- 
yarn  had  to  be  stripped  off  and  new  parcel  and 
service  put  on. 

In  the  meantime  the  blacksmith's  forge  had  been 
going  full  blast,  welding  the  broken  links  of  the 
martingale  guy.  The  chain  plate  of  the  backstay  was 
got  off  from  the  side,  the  broken  iron  welded  and 
the  bull's-eye  newly  strapped,  ready  in  time  for 
Buntline  to  set  up  his  stay. 

Braybrook  took  the  main-yard  in  hand.  This  job 
had  been  well  discussed  at  the  breakfast  table. 
Whether  to  send  the  yard  down  on  deck,  or  cock- 
bill  the  spar  plumb  up  and  down  the  mainmast,  for 
convenience  of  repairing,  had  been  duly  considered. 
The  mate  had  made  choice  of  the  latter  method. 


208  THK     ISLK    OF    PALMS. 

The  midship  deck  wu.s  so  fully  occupied  by  carpen 
ters  and  calkers  that  Braybrook's  plan  seemed  best. 

The  head  carpenter  was  called  off  to  work  with 
the  mate  on  the  broken  yard.  A  neat  piece  of 
scarfing  was  accomplished.  The  new  work  was 
secured  with  copper  bolts  and  trebly  hooped  with 
strong  iron  bands,  to  one  of  which  eyebolts  were 
riveted  for  the  main  brace,  lift  and  foot-rope.  A 
coat  of  red  lead  was  applied  to  the  iron-work  to 
prevent  its  rusting  the  sail,  and  the  yard-end  was 
painted,  ready  to  swing  the  yard  into  position  just 
as  the  sun  went  down. 

The  deck  seams  and  the  hatch-combings  had  been 
calked  during  the  day,  and  the  seams  payed,  ready 
for  any  emergency.  The  broken  monkey-rail  had 
been  found  on  the  shore,  where  it  had  drifted  after 
the  fight,  and  it  had  been  partly  secured  in  its  place. 
The  bobstay  had  been  taughtened  after  the  severe 
strain  put  upon  it.  The  dolphin-striker  had  been 
set  plumb  .beneath  the  bowsprit-bees  and  its  chain 
guys  secured  in  their  places. 

The  two  broken  parts  of  the  flying-jib-boom  had 
been  got  in  on  deck,  the  two  guys  and  the  topgallant 
stay  were  temporarily  secured  at  the  boom-iron  and 
the  slack  of  the  guys  taken  in  at  the  bow  :  and  with 
the  exception  of  the  unshipped  rudder,  the  vessel 
could  put  to  sea  at  a  moment's  notice.  After  the 
rough  handling  the  ship  had  received  from  the  devil 
fish,  it  was  not  deemed  prudent  to  tarry  loin:  in  a 
place  so  full  of  scarecrows  —  real  and  imaginarv. 


THE    SQUIRMING    TENTACLE. 

After  supper,  during  the  early  twilight,  a  funeral 
service  was  read  by  the  captain  over  the  remains  of 
the  poor  old  cook,  and  the  unfortunate  Congo  was 
taken  to  the  Bird's  Nest  and  laid  by  the  side  of  his 
dead  shipmates.  Good  old  Uncle  Joe  found  some 
words  of  qualified  praise  to  say  at  the  grave  of  this 
timid  man  and  inefficient  cook,  whose  ghost,  the 
sailors  believed,  would  now  hover  around  the  devil's 
cavern  and  make  it  unpleasant  for  the  hateful  denizen 
within. 

Hardly  a  thought  had  been  given  through  the  day 
to  the  still  squirming  tentacle  in  the  blubber  room, 
for  the  hatches  had  been  kept  on  for  the  convenience 
of  the  workmen,  but  late  in  the  afternoon  Dr.  Gre- 
ville  got  permission  to  make  a  thorough  inspection  of 
the  gigantic  trunk.  A  punch  with  a  handspike 
demonstrated  that  it  was  alive  and  full  of  fight  as 
ever,  so  that  great  caution  was  required  while  mak 
ing  the  inspection. 

The  whole  length  of  this  severed  piece  of  tenta 
cle,  when  it  lay  inert,  was  twenty-one  feet.  It  was 
large  as  a  topmast  at  the  severed  end,  tapering  to 
the  size  of  a  man's  leg.  It  was  round  on  the  upper 
side  and  of  a  dark  brown,  fiat  on  its  under  surface 
and  of  a  milky  white.  There  was  a  double  row  of 
denticulated  suckers  along  its  whole  length.  The 
largest  of  these  sucking  disks  were  as  big  as  a  break 
fast  plate  and  could  take  in  a  man's  head,  diminish 
ing  to  the  size  of  a  tea-cup  near  the  end.  Each 
disk  was  surrounded  by  sharp,  horny  claws. 


210  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

To  increase  the  horror  of  this  most  formidable 
carnivorous  weapon  of  attack  and  torture,  it  was 
armed  on  each  side,  throughout  its  length,  with  a 
row  of  strong,  horny  hooks,  each  large  enough  to 
lift  a  man.  While  these  hooks  were  thickly  placed 
on  the  sides  of  the  claw-end  for  ten  feet  back,  the 
spaces  then  increased  until  they  were  ten  and  twelve 
indies  apart  at  the  large  end. 

This  trunk  had  great  prehensile  power  to  lengthen 
and  contract.  It  could  increase  its  length  ten  feet, 
so  that  on  a  stretch  it  measured  thirty-one  feet.  Its 
rows  of  cruel  claws  had  the  instinct  to  draw  far  back 
—  open-mouthed  as  it  were  —  to  receive  its  prey,  and 
then  clutch  fast  upon  an  object  like  a  clenched  hand, 
crushing  a  spade  handle  in  its  grasp.  It  was  by  this 
method  that  the  claw  had  broken  the  leg  bones  of 
the  cook  in  more  than  twenty  places.  So  that  noth 
ing  once  secured  could  escape  from  its  grasp. 

The  final  conclusion  was,  that  the  eight  side-tenta- 
cula  of  the  devil-fish  were  about  fifty  feet  long  when 
at  rest,  while  the  two  forward  ones  were  sixty  feet 
in  length.  All  of  these  massive  trunks  were  as  big 
as  the  mainmast  at  their  base,  tapering  very  much 
like  an  elephant's  trunk. 

The  head  was  taken  from  an  eight-barrel  cask, 
which  was  placed  fairly  under  the  hatch  to  receive 
the  squirming  tentacle.  There  was  a  general  wish 
to  preserve  it  for  further  inspection  and  as  a  curious 
memento  of  the  desperate  bailie  waged  with  the 
gigantic  creature.  A  rope  strap  was  cautiously 


HEADY    FOR    SAILING.  211 

around  the  middle  of  the  trunk,  to  which  the  mast 
head  tackle  was  hooked,  hoisting  away  on  the  con 
torting  thing  until  it  could  be  dumped  into  the  great 
cask,  which  was  then  headed  up  and  filled  with  brine 
sufficient  to  keep  the  tentacle  from  spoiling.  In 
spite  of  the  brine,  and  being  deprived  of  air,  the 
hateful  thing  was  alive  and  thrashing  about  in  the 
cask  two  days  after. 

As  night  drew  on  the  hatches  were  barred  down 
and  the  tarpaulins  put  on.  Cutting  spades  were  dis 
posed  of  in  convenient  places,  in  case  of  another 
battle,  though  it  was  not  believed  that  the  wounded 
beast  would  desire  another  encounter. 

A  cot  was  slung  on  the  top  of  the  cabin  for  Mr. 
Morey,  its  lanyards  secured  fore-and-aft  by  the  main 
and  mizzen  masts,  with  a  double  purpose  in  view. 
In  his  weak  and  fretful  condition  the  bruised  man 
was  haunted  by  the  ever-present  fear  of  another 
attack  from  his  hated  foe,  and  he  wished  to  be  on 
deck  in  case  the  ship  should  again  be  hove  down,  at 
the  risk  of  sinking,  as  on  the  previous  night;  but 
the  night  passed  without  any  cause  for  alarm. 

The  afternoon  of  the  following  day  was  drawing 
to  a  close  before  anything  of  importance  occurred. 
The  flying-jib-boom  had  been  spliced  and  sent  out, 
—  though  somewhat  abbreviated  in  length,  —  and  the 
stays  and  guys  were  set  up  taut,  ready  for  use.  The 
rudder  had  been  shipped  in  its  place  and  new  wheel- 
ropes  rove  for  the  tiller,  together  with  numerous 
other  minor  preparations  for  sailing  on  the  coming 
dav. 


THE    ISLE    OF    J'AL.MS. 

Suddenly  a  wild,  joyous  cry  was  heard  from  the 
crow's-nest  ashore.  Mr.  Morey  had  pleased  his 
fancy  by  climbing  aloft  with  the  aid  of  some  of  his 
men,  and  had  spent  the  day  under  the  long,  drooping 
fronds  of  the  palms. 

4 'There  she  blows!  blows!  blo-o-ows  !  "  was  the 
enlivening  cry  that  brought  every  soul  on  the  ship 
to  his  feet. 

"  AVhat  do  you  see  there?"  hailed  the  captain 
from  the  top  of  the  cabin. 

"A  school  of  sperm  whales,  close  along  the 
shore." 

Captain  Lawrence  and  the  mate  sprang  into  a  boat, 
then  lying  at  the  gangway,  and  ordered  the  crew  to 
pull  in  to  the  lookout.  It  was  too  near  night  to 
think  of  whaling,  but  the  rallying  cry  had  stirred 
them  to  the  quick  and  they  wished  to  sec  for  them 
selves.  The  barometer  was  falling,  the  atmosphere 
was  oppressive,  and  there  were  many  other  indica 
tions  of  a  typhoon  brewing. 

When  the  officers  climbed  into  the  crow's-nest, 
far  above  the  surrounding  trees,  there,  indeed,  was  an 
immense  school  of  cows  and  calves,  reach  ing  far  as 
the  eye  could  see  to  the  south  ;  it  was  a  glorious 
sight  for  a  whaleman's  eyes  to  feast  upon.  The 
whales  were  scattered  in  pods  of  ten,  twenty  and 
fifty  in  a  lot. 

Close  in  to  the  island  was  a  school  of  fifty  large 
cows,  accompanied  by  ten  small  calves.  Most  of 
the  calves  were  strong  enough  to  swim  playfully  by 


THE    BABY    WHALES. 


213 


the  side  of  the  mother  whales.  A  few  very  small 
ones  were  clinging,  baby-like,  to  the  back  of  the 
dams,  which  were  as  tender  of  their  nurslings  as  a 
human  mother.  A  very  young  calf  was  seen  to  drop 
from  the  parent's  back  and  frisk  about  like  a  young 
fawn;  tiring  of  its  childish  romp,  it  scampered 
alongside  the  mother  whale  and  clung  to  her  back, 
wittTits  little  tail  resting  against  the  hump,  prefer 
ring  to  l)e  tugged  in  arms  like  a  land  baby,  and  find 
amusement  in  the  frolic  of  others. 

The  officers  were  curious  to  sec  how  the  in-shore 
school  would  avoid  the  coral  reef  that  jutted  out  half 
a  mile  from  the  shore.  From  their  lofty  aerie  the 
reef  could  be  traced  round  to  the  west  of  the  island, 
but  how  and  where  it  ended  was  not  known  to  any 
one.  To  the  surprise  of  the  whalemen  on  went  the 
whole  school  of  loitering  whales  down  between  the 
shore  and  reef  and  disappeared  to  leeward. 

After  watching  the  off-shore  whales  through  their 
glasses  till  nearly  dark,  the  officers  descended  from 
their  high  perch  among  the  trees  and  were  pulled 
alongside  the  ship.  Braybrook  left  the  captain  and 
second  mate  at  the  gangway  and  ordered  the  crew 
to  pull  him  over  to  the  north  shore  of  the  harbor, 
where  he  had  noticed  but  a  thin  growth  of  trees. 
He  worked  his  way  through  the  woods  to  the  beach 
beyond,  determined  to  ascertain  where  the  reef 
ended. 

Great  was  the  mate's  surprise,  when  he  emerged 
from  the  trees,  to  find  that  the  whole  body  of  whales 


214  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

were  gathered  into  a  confused  snarl.  The  panic- 
stricken  creatures  had  come  to  where  the  encircling 
reef  trended  abruptly  in  to  the  land,  and  left  them 
no  egress  other  than  the  opening  by  which  they 
came. 

The  mate  was  electrified  by  what  he  saw,  for  it 
seemed  to  him  an  opportunity  to  catch  a  voyage  at 
one  haul.  He  ordered  the  crew  to  hasten  back  to 
the  boat.  Pulling  hurriedly  to  the  ship,  Braybrook 
shouted  to  the  captain  when  afar  off,  and  related  how 
the  whole  school  had  been  entrapped  by  the  reef, 
and  expressed  his  belief  that  the  boats  might  kill 
the  whole  of  them. 

Captain  Lawrence  acquiesced  in  the  mate's  plan, 
that  all  the  boats  should  go  outside  and  endeavor  to 
secure  the  whales  till  morning.  Braybrook  pulled 
swiftly  out  of  the  harbor  to  explore  the  situation 
before  dark,  and  then  improve  the  possibilities  as 
best  he  could.  Three  other  boats  followed,  headed 
by  the  captain,  Mr.  Antoine  heading  Morey's  boat. 
A  short  distance  round  to  the  west  the  mate  found 
that  a  projecting  spur  of  the  reef  reached  within  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  of  the  shore.  A  space  so  narrow 
offered  great  hopes  of  confining  the  whales  till 
morning. 

Mr.  Bailey  and  Antoine  were  ordered  to  anchor 
their  boats  equidistant  from  shore  to  reef,  and 
be  prepared  to  show  torches  in  mid-rhaniid,  while 
large  fires  of  drift-wood  were  to  In-  kept  burning  on 
the  reef  spur  and  along  the  adjacent  shore.  Fire- 


THE    ENTRAPPED    WHALES.  215 

were    soon    lighted    and    boat-loads    of    drift-wood 
gathered  at  the  required  places. 

When  the  fire  on  the  reef-point  was  well  ablaze, 
green  boughs  were  heaped  upon  it,  making  a  dense 
smoke,  so  heavy  that  it  blew  along  the  water  in  the 
direction  that  the  whales  must  come.  This  alone 
was  deemed  sufficient  to  blockade  the  surface,  as 
whales  have  great  dislike  for  smoke  ;  and  it  remained 
to  be  seen  if  the  glare  of  light  would  prevent  their 
trying  the  under-water  passage. 

Captain  Lawrence  pulled  back  to  the  ship  to 
procure  a  variety  of  necessaries.  Two  empty  tar 
barrels  were  sent  out  to  be  floated  near  the  anchored 
boats  and  set  on  fire  in  case  the  whales  should 
attempt  to  pass.  Torches  were  made  of  strands  of 
hemp  rope,  dipped  in  tar  and  oil,  to  be  kept  burn 
ing  by  the  boats  during  the  night.  The  harbor 
entrance  was  lighted  by  lanterns  for  the  convenience 
of  the  boats  when  passing  in  or  out,  as  the  sky  was 
overcast  and  it  promised  to  be  very  dark. 

When  the  plans  were  perfected  for  the  boats,  and 
due  preparations  made  to  receive  the  devil-fish,  the 
ship-keepers  were  divided  into  two  watches,  and  one- 
half  of  the  men  sent  below.  Mr.  Morey  preferred 
to  sleep  on  deck,  having  an  awning  over  his  cot,  and 
would  no  doubt  keep  the  best  of  lookout  for  his  old. 
friend.  The  deck  watch  was  ordered  to  prepare  the 
fifth  bout  for  lowering  in  case  of  need,  —  a  new 
one  lying  bottom  up  on  the  skids  overhead.  Row 
locks  were  fitted,  and  a  set  of  oars  got  out. 


21(5 


THI-;  JSLK  or  PALAIS. 


When  the  watch  was  changed  at  two  o'clock  a 
boat's  crew  was  sent  out  to  relieve  Bray  brook's 
boat-watch.  The  mate  reported  that  the  fires  had 
been  kept  bright,  without  a  sign  of  the  whales  hav 
ing  passed.  The  Fire  Cross  had  burned  brightly 
through  the  midnight  hours,  yet,  strange  to  say,  it 
was  now  considered  a  good  omen,  by  sonic  sudden 
transition  of  feeling,  so  frequent  among  sailors. 

An  hour  before  the  sun  began  to  tinge  the  eastern 
gloaming  all  was  astir  aboard  ship.  It  had  been 
determined  to  get  the  ship  under-weigh,  take  her 
outside  and  anchor  in  the  reef-channel,  where  the 
ship-keepers  could  keep  up  a  smoke,  and  tire  the 
cannon  to  help  drive  back  the  whales  while  the  boats 
were  attacking  them. 

After  the  sails  were  set  and  the  anchor  hove  short, 
tow-lines  were  secured  to  the  trees  on  each  side  of 
the  channel,  by  which  to  warp  out  the  ship,  as  there 
never  was  wind  enough  to  till  the  sails  in  the  harbor 
during  the  morning  hours.  The  anchor  was  tripped 
and  catted,  and  the  Fleetwmg  hauled  out  by  the 
tow-lines  till  beyond  the  shelter  of  the  trees.  First 
her  jibs  tilled,  then  her  forward  sails,  till  the  morn 
ing  trades  expanded  all  her  canvas,  and  she  ran 
gracefully  down  the  shore  to  her  anchorage,  in  tlie 
narrowest  part  of  the  reef-passage. 

Sails  were  then  furled  in  the  double-reef,  for  the 
weather  was  still  threatening.  They  \\erc  in  a 
typhoon  country,  and  could  not  be  too  cautious. 
The  moon  would  change  during  the  coming  ni«rht  : 


FAST    IN    THE    SCHOOL.  217 

and  a  new  moon  coinciding  with  perigee  could  not 
fail  to  bring  a  gale.  Their  anchorage  was  a  risky 
place  to  be  caught  in  if  a  storm  came  up  in  the 
night,  but  their  opportunity  for  a  grand  strike 
made  it  worth  taking  the  risk. 

The  plan  of  attack  decided  on  at  breakfast  was  for 
Antoine  to  go  ahead  and  fasten  to  a  cow  having  a 
calf,  as  a  guide  to  find  the  school  when  under  water. 
The  three  other  boats  were  to  follow  and  attack  as 
loose  boats,  using  their  lances  to  kill  as  many  as 
possible  ;  for  after  a  whale  has  been  made  to  spout 
blood,  it  is  not  capable  of  making  much  effort  to 
escape. 

After  leaving  the  ship  the  four  boats  pulled  a 
mile  between  the  reef  and  shore  before  the  whales 
were  discovered.  The  school  was  still  gathered  into 
a  confused  mass,  not  having  gotten  over  their  fright 
or  decided  how  to  escape.  Mr.  Antoine  was  sent 
ahead  to  fasten.  He  approached  the  school  cau 
tiously,  and  made  choice  of  a  large  cow  with  a  small 
calf.  The  instant  his  irons  entered  the  whale  there 
was  a  wild  tumult  among  the  frightened  creatures. 
Away  they  started,  running  pell-mell  further  on 
around  the  island,  flinging  out  their  brown  heads  as 
they  ran,  and  snorting  forth  their  white  spouts  with 
frenzy.  Going  at  such  speed,  the  water  soon 
shoaled  to  less  than  two  fathoms,  and  the  whales 
were  brought  to  a  stand  by  the  reef  making  in  to 
the  shore. 

It  was  a  strange  sight  to  witness  the  timidity  of 


218  THE    ISLE    OF    J'ALMS. 

such  a  mass  of  monsters,  when,  if  they  knew  their 
prowess,  they  would  have  swept  the  boats  from  their 
path  easily  as  one  could  brush  away  a  fly.  The 
boats  were  greatly  endangered  going  among  such  a 
toss  and  tumble  of  leviathans,  for  when  the  water 
became  too  shallow  for  them  to  swim  their  actions 
became  unaccountable.  Some  whales  flung  their 
flukes  into  the  air  and  pounded  the  water  with 
a  useless  expenditure  of  strength.  Others  thrust 
their  vast  heads  out  of  the  water  and  endeavored  to 
stand  on  end.  Many  lay  on  their  backs  with  their 
pectoral  tins  thrust  in  the  air,  rigid  with  fright, 
exposing  their  lives  to  the  deadly  lances  of  the  whale 
men.  Several  large  whales  leaped  out  upon  the 
submerged'  reef,  floundering  till  they  crushed  the 
flimsy  coral  and  embayed  themselves  in  the  yield 
ing  mass. 

The  four  boats  now  rushed  to  the  attack.  A\  ith 
lance  in  hand  the  officers  began  their  task  of  butchery, 
plunging  their  keen  weapons  into  heart  and  lungs  of 
the  gallied  cachalots,  till  the  fren/ied  assailants  be 
came  as  extravagant  in  their  actions  as  were  the 
assailed  in  their  futile  endeavor  to  escape. 

With  Uncle  Joe  every  act  was  done  with  coolness 
and  deliberation.  No  hurry  or  flurry  impelled  him 
into  useless  danger,  but  where  a  fat  whale  proented 
her  corrugated  side  to  his  lance  the  keen  blade  found 
its  way  to  the  most  vital  part  of  his  victim. 

Captain  Lawrence  encountered  several  of  the 
whales  with  breasts  exposed  ;  thoe  he  killed  on  the 


THZ    BATTLE-MAD    WHALEMEN.  219 

instant  by  a  single  lance-thrust  in  the  heart.  The 
captain's  weapon  was  kept  active  for  half  an  hour, 
and  dead  whales  thickened  in  his  pathway  till  his 
boat  was  in  the  very  midst  of  the  snarl.  There  a 
dying  whale  breached  out  in  its  flurry  and  capsized 
the  boat,  endangering  the  lives  of  all. 

The  captain  and  crew  escaped  without  serious 
injury,  and  the  boat  was  not  stoven  enough  to  pre 
vent  further  use.  The  crew  swam  about,  avoiding 
the  dying  whale  as  best  they  could.  When  she  died 
the  boat  was  pushed  into  shoal  water,  turned  over 
and  bailed  out.  Then  the  drifting  oars  and  boat- 
gear  were  secured  from  amonij  the  wild  tangle  of 

o  o  c 

whales,  and  soon  the  men  were  seated  upon  their 
thwarts  ready  to  renew  the  attack. 

Braybrook  was  perhaps  the  most  battle-mad  of 
them  all.  With  his  brawny  chest  bared,  and  his 
sleeves  rolled  to  the  elbows,  the  mate  rushed  into 
action  as  if  contemplating  death  to  the  whole  school. 
Woe  to  the  whale,  large  or  small,  that  came  within 
reach  of  his  lance.  Wherever  the  broad  side  of  a 
whale  appeared,  into  that  black  skin  wrent  his  lance, 
without  waiting  to  determine  his  thrusts  by  the  nicer 
guides  of  hump  or  eye  or  fin.  This  method  does 
not  always  bring  blood  to  the  spout,  but  greatly 
adds  to  the  danger  of  the  surroundings  by  wound 
ing,  without  killing,  the  whales. 

Some  of  these  wounded  whales  frequently  leaped 
into  the  air,  made  frantic  by  their  agony,  and  fell 
crashing  back  upon  whatever  lay  beneath  them. 


220  THE  ISLE  OF  PALMS. 

One  breaching  monster  nearly  crushed  the  mate's 
boat,  breaking  two  of  his  oars  and  tilling  the  boat 
with  water,  making  nice  work  for  the  crew  to  keep 
from  being  capsized.  She  was  finally  bailed  out  and 
came  into  action  again,  though  pretty  short  manned 
for  oars. 

It  was  a  glad  sight  for  the  hardy  whalemen  to  see 
upward  of  twenty  red  spouts  emblazoned  on  the  air, 
tokens  of  their  prowess,  and  picturesque  symbols  of 
victory  never  witnessed  to  such  extent  before.  Some 
of  the  dying  whales  threw  out  bright  red  spouts, 
ejected  broad  and  strong  into  the  air.  Such  spouts 
flowed  as  from  a  never-ending  fountain,  floating 
down  the  breeze  like  crimson  banners,  and  glisten 
ing  in  the  sun  like  the  gaudy  fanions  of  a  gala. 

Scattered  here  and  there  among  these  gaily  colored 
spouts  were  others  of  a  sombre  hue,  spouts  black 
as  the  pirate  fl.ig  of  Lafitte.  These  dark-lined 
spouts  came  slowly  and  infrequently,  from  waning 
strength,  and  were  so  heavy  with  clotted  gore  that 
they  spattered  back  upon  the  shoulders  of  the  dying 
victim ;  growing  weaker  and  weaker,  lower  and 
lower ;  becoming  so  thick  and  tarry  that  they  just 
bubbled  over  the  spout-hole,  sobbing  and  sighing; 
ending  with  the  choking,  gurgling  noise  of  a  drown 
ing  man  in  his  last  struggle. 

After  being  driven   to  the  wildest   state   of   des- 

o 

peration,  some  of  the  least  frightened  whales  at 
length  got  headed  back  around  the  inland.  Once 
given  the  cue  to  escape,  and  every  unwonndeu 


THE    ESCAPING    WHALES.  221 

whale  followed  the    leader,   dashing  on  toward  the 
ship  with  an  impetuosity  that  nothing  could  resist. 

Seeing  this  new  move  Mr.  Bailey  fastened  to  the 
nearest  whale  he  could  catch,  a  lively  young  cow, 
which  ran  in  the  very  thickest  of  the  school.  Before 
the  whales  reached  the  ship,  in  their  headlong  dash, 
Uncle  Joe  set  four  other  cows  to  spouting  blood, 
ail  of  which  soon  straggled  behind,  and  two  ran 
upon  the  shore  in  a  condition  of  blind  staggers. 

Neither  the  smoke  of  the  fires  —  which  nearly 
smothered  the  crews  in  the  fast  boats  —  or  the  thun 
dering  of  the  cannon  had  the  least  effect  in  stopping 
the  frenzied  whales.  All  having  life  enough  to  get 
out  went  plunging  on  for  the  open  sea,  dipping 
down  under  the  ship  and  her  chain  as  they  passed. 
One  clumsy  cow  caught  the  cable  upon  her  hump 
and  carried  the  anchor  twenty  rods  to  windward, 
tugging  the  ship  along  in  tow,  as  if  she  had  cast  in 
her  lot  with  the  whales  instead  of  the  whalers. 

When  the  last  of  the  unwounded  whales  had 
passed  the  ship  Mr.  Bailey  cut  his  line  from  the  fast 
whale  —  which  he  had  not  lanced  —  and  turned  his 
attention  to  heading  back  several  half-dead  whales 
that  came  straggling  on  behind.  Meeting  two  of 
those  that  he  had  made  to  spout  blood,  the  sagacious 
old  whaleman  turned  them  back  by  pricking  them 
about  an  eye  with  continuous  lance-thrusts, — the 
most  sensitive  place  about  the  cachalot.  Mr. 
Antoine's  whale  proved  impervious  to  his  pricking, 
and  ran  head-on  into  the  ship's  side,  which  half 


222  TIIK    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

stunned  the  dying  creature,  though   it  headed   him 
round  whence  lie  came. 

The  captain  and  mate  remained  on  the  battle-field, 
re-lancing  some  of  the  whales  which  died  hard,  and 
killing  those  half  buried  in  the  coral  reef.  The  day 
had  advanced  to  mid-forenoon  before  the  last  of  the 
whales  were  dead  ;  thirty-one  cows  had  been  killed, 
counting  the  three  about  the  ship,  beside  two  small 
calves  foolishly  killed  by  Antoine  in  his  fresh  zeal  to 
become  a  whaleman. 

The  weather  began  to  look  hard  and  squally.  The 
water  had  become  a  steel-gray  color  and  the  sky 
wore  an  ominous,  threatening  aspect.  It  was  fast 
becoming  a  question  how  to  secure  what  they  had 
killed  before  the  storm  snatched  away  their  rich, 
oily  prizes.  It  was  thought  best  to  tow  the  whales 
to  the  shore  and  tie  them  to  the  trees;  the  ship 
could  then  be  brought  around  and  as  many  cut  in  as 
she  would  stow,  and  if  time  permitted,  the  blubber 
could  be  stripped  from  the  others  and  left  afloat  till 
it  was  needed  ;  while  the  several  heads,  which  would 
keep  for  some  time  in  the  water,  might  be  anchored 
anywhere. 

When  about  twenty  of  the  drifting  whales  had 
been  secured,  Captain  Lawrence  pulled  in  to  the 
angle  of  the  reef  where  it  joined  the  land  to  tow  out 
a  small  cow  which  had  died  there.  Seeing  a  break 
in  the  shore  he  examined  and  found  an  under 
ground  passage,  which  evidently  ran  through  into 
the  harbor,  as  there  was  a  current  in  that  direction. 


THE    OLD    SPANISH    WRECK.  223 

Landing  to  determine  the  extent  of  this  subma 
rine  channel,  and  hoping  to  find  a  place  where 
whales  could  be  towed  through  into  the  bay,  greatly 
to  his  surprise  the  captain  found  that  the  break  had 
been  made  by  the  wreck  of  an  old  Spanish  galleon,— 
a  vessel,  judging  by  her  ancient  build,  that  must 
have  lain  there  three  hundred  years. 

The  mate  was  hastily  called,  and  together  the 
two  astonished  men  made  their  observations.  There 
was  abundant  evidence  that  when  the  galleon  was 
wrecked  the  island  was  a  deeply  submerged  reef, 
for  every  visible  part  of  the  vessel  was  thickly  en 
cased  in  coral,  and  the  coral  polypi  never  build 
above  the  surface.  The  edge  of  the  broken  coral- 
crust  that  now  arched  over  the  wreck  was  three 
feet  thick,  with  six  feet  of  rich  soil  over  all,  in 
which  grew  large  trees  and  a  dense  tropical  under 
growth. 

But  the  problem,  how  came  the  old  hulk  thus 
forced  up  out  of  water?  was  not  so  easy  to  solve. 
Nothing  but  her  rock-built  cavern  could  have  saved 
her  from  the  yearly  typhoons  where  she  now  was. 
The  theory  that  the  ingenious  seamen  agreed  upon 
was  this  :  The  galleon  first  struck  upon  the  reef 
proper,  ran  over  that  with  a  stoven  bottom  and  sunk 
well  below  the  surface,  upon  what  is  now  the  island  ; 
for  it  would  require  fifty  years  to  grow  such  a  crust 
of  coral  above  her. 

The  three-storied  poop-deck  cabins  were  partly 
destroyed  by  the  wash  of  storm  waves  over  the  reef, 


224  TUP:  ISLK  OF  PALMS. 

and  nothing  but  the  naked  transom  timbers  re 
mained  above  her  flush  deck  as  far  forward  as  the 
mizzen  mast ;  and  a  strong  coral  arch  still  remained 
unbroken  aft  to  the  mizzen  mast. 

The  weather  had  become  so  threatening  that  the 
officers  gave  up  further  examination  of  the  wreck  for 
the  present.  The  whale  that  Captain  Lawrence 
went  to  tow  out  was  tied  up  where  she  lay.  Two 
others  that  had  died  on  the  reef  were  secured  to 
projecting  rocks.  There  remained  six  large  cows 
afloat  out  in  deep  water  which  the  ship  would  pick 
up  when  she  was  brought  round. 

The  boats  now  pulled  for  the  ship,  hungry  and 
tired,  where  a  good  dinner  awaited  them.  Before 
eating,  the  ship  was  got  under-weigh  and  headed 
around  toward  the  dead  whales.  She  ran  round  the 
island  under  the  main  topsail  and  jib,  the  reefs  hav 
ing  been  let  out  of  the  topsail.  AVhile  making  the 
passage  the  boats'  crews  were  sent  off  to  their  din 
ner,  hungry  enough  to  make  havoc  with  the  hard 
tack,  salt  junk  and  the  jolly  plum  duff,  which  the 
steward,  in  the  absence  of  the  cook,  had  kindly  con 
tributed  for  the  occasion. 

Though  the  barometer  was  down  to  28  and 
falling  steadily,  Captain  Lawrence  resolutely  de 
termined  to  push  on  and  cut  in  all  the  whales  he 
could  before  the  storm  burst  upon  them.  Then,  if 
the  wind  favored,  the  ship  could  be  run  round  into 
harbor  and  made  safe.  An  hour's  sailing  carried  the 
ship  among  the  drifting  whales,  and  the  boats  pulled 


CUTTING-IN    THE    WHALES.  225 

out  and  secured  the  whole  six  to  the  ship.  Then 
the  anchor  was  let  go  and  the  cutting  began  with 
the  utmost  diligence. 

The  windlass  rolled  around  merrily  and  the  men 
were  boisterous  with  song  and  chorus.  Such  lucky 
events  on  a  voyage  are  often  extemporized  for 
hoisting  and  heaving,  and  their  tuneful  measures  lift 
a  deal  of  care  and  fret  from  the  tired  mariner.  It 
was  ten  o'clock  at  night  before  the  six  oily  jackets 
were  rolled  off  of  the  carcasses  and  snugly  stowed 
in  the  blubber  room  ;  and  the  six  heads  were  lashed 
for  the  night  to  a  kedge-anchor  dropped  out  on  the 
quarter. 

The  hands  were  turned  in  for  a  few  hours'  sleep, 
while  the  captain  and  steward  took  the  watch.  The 
steward  was  kept  up  to  prepare  an  early  breakfast, 
for  the  first  flush  of  dawn  must  find  them  hooked  on 
to  other  whales  if  the  storm  did  not  prevent. 


CHAPTER  XXTI. 

CAUGHT    IX    A    TYPHOON. 

THE  night  still  remained  calm,  and  the  sky  so 
overcast  that  not  a  star  was  visible.  The 
barometer  had  fallen  to  27,  indicating  that  the  storm 
was  approaching  fast.  The  atmosphere  had  become 
stilling  and  oppressive,  depressing  the  heart-beat  and 
making  respiration  laborious.  A  person  not  ex 
perienced  in  typhoons  might  be  deceived  by  such  a 
calm,  sultry  night,  and  look  for  nothing  worse  than 
a  thunder-storm,  yet  the  prevalent  signs  were  omi 
nous  and  infallible. 

It  was  twelve  o'clock,  midnight,  before  the  first 
cat's-paw  was  felt  whisking  across  the  face.  Its 
touch  was  soft  and  silky,  but  hot  as  a  tongue  of 
flame.  There  was  another  quality  in  the  paw  of  the 
cat,  a  touch  the  most  infallible  of  all :  The  precursory 
puff  of  a  typhoon  is  a  mild  sort  of  whirlwind,  strik 
ing  first  upon  the  one  cheek  and  then  the  other,  the 
observer  being  enclosed  in  a  rotating  wind-whirl. 
An  ordinary  wind-puff,  during  a  calm,  strikes  only 
one  side  of  the  face  and  passes  away.  While  the 

[220] 


WATCHIXG  FOR  THE  GALE.          227 

storm  is  distant,  the  diameter  of  a  cyclonic  wind- 
eddy  is  about  thirty  feet,  growing  steadily  less  as 
the  gale  approaches,  until  there  is  hardly  a  percep 
tible  interval  in  its  touch  on  the  two  sides  of  the 
face. 

Uncle  Joe  now  made  his  appearance  on  deck, 
causing  the  captain's  heart  to  sink  within  him  like  a 
leaden  plummet.  He  very  well  knew  that  a  terrific 
storm  was  brewing,  and  he  was  making  his  precau 
tionary  plans  with  the  utmost  coolness  ;  but  some- 
thino-  more  terrible  than  he  conceived  was  at  hand, 
to  rouse  out  Joe  Bailey  after  such  a  tiresome  tussle 
with  whales.  Other  men  lay  about  the  forward  deck 
dead  as  logs  —  so  drunk  with  sleep. 

Upon  second  thought  the  presence  of  the  white- 
wooled  old  veteran  gladdened  the  heart  of  the 
captain,  for  Uncle  Joe  was  the  most  weather-wise  of 
men.  So  prescient  was  his  wisdom  in  all  things  per 
taining  to  wind,  weather  and  whales,  that,  while  the 
crew  confessed  his  marvellous  powers,  he  seemed 
little  short  of  supernatural  to  those  who  knew  him 
best. 

"Well,  well,  Uncle  Joe,  aren't  you  tired  enough 
to  sleep  after  such  a  day's  whaling  ?  " 

"It  yam  rudder  sultry  fur  snoozin',  sail.  Ben, 
Cap'n,  dese  yere  wopple-jawed  ole  bones  ke'p  kickin' 
up  ar  bob'ry  'bout  dis  yere  typhoon.  So  dis  chile 
am  brung  up  de  fedder-fly  an'  goney-down  fur  ter 
test  de  ole  critter.  'Cause  yer  see,  Cap'n,  we  uns 
ain't  in  de  best  hol'in'  ground  ter  stan'  ar  gale. 


THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

Dis  yerc  coml  bottom  (loan  hoi'  de    anchor  jir  hit 
gude." 

"  Yes,  that's  been  a  source  of  real  anxiety  to  me, 
especially  as  these  East  India  gales  work  around  the 
wrong  way  for  us  to  run  for  the  harbor.  When  this 
gale  conies  it  will  strike  us  from  the  south,  shift  to 
the  south-west  and  then  to  the  west,  where  it  will 
rake  us  along  shore  and  test  our  ground-tackle  as 
never  before." 

"  Ah,  weel,  Cap'n,  I's  bin  spoke  ter  der  de  gude 
Lawd  'bout  dat  matter,  but  de  deah  Fader  doan  seem 
ter  heah  dis  chile  ter-nite.  De  fac'  am,  sah,  dat 
Gawd  A'mighty  rudder  do  all  tings  hissef,  in  him 
own  way,  dan  liab  dis  po'  niggar  show  'm  how." 

"We  shall  certainly  need  God's  protecting  care 
to-ni'orht  if  ever  we  did.  We're  going  to  catch  it 
terribly  from  somewhere." 

"Dat's  so,  Cap'n.  Jus  lemme  sot  de  fly  on  de 
davy-head,  an'  diskiber  how  fur  off  de  critter  yam. 
How  ofen  duz  de  pussy-paws  cum  'long,  sah  ?  " 

"Until  recently,  the  puffs  have  come  once  in 
about  ten  minutes.  Now  the  interval  is  not  moiv 
than  five  minutes,  showing  that  the  gale  approaches 
fast." 

While  the  officers  were  talking,  Bailey  fixed  his 
feather-fly  to  the  top  of  the  davit-head,  while  the 
captain  stood  ready  to  throw  up  a  small  bunch  of 
goney-down  when  the  puff'  came,  as  an  additional 
test. 

One  of  the  occasional   proceedings  of  Joe  Bailey 


TESTING    THE    CAT'S-PAWS.  229 

that  greatly  terrified  the  sailors  was  to  sly  out  of 
his  cabin,  during  watch  below,  bringing  a  well- 
baited  hook  and  line.  This  he  floated  out  over  the 
stern,  and  soon  drew  about  it  a  flock  of  albatross  — 
though  the  crew  declared  there  were  none  in  sight 
Avhen  he  began  to  fish  for  them.  The  old  wizard 
would  not  permit  any  but  the  largest  white  one 
among  them  to  take  the  bait.  When  the  right  one 
came,  Bailey  manoeuvred  the  bait  and  let  the  big 
fellow  take  it.  Iliuling  the  bird  in  on  deck  with 
great  care,  he  handled  it  tenderly  and  talked  to  it  as 
if  it  were  a  negro  baby  ;  adroitly  robbing  it  of  a  few 
handfuls  of  soft  down,  he  would  set  it  adrift  with 
some  prayerful  invocation  for  its  welfare. 

All  this  seemed  simple  enough  to  a  rational  per 
son,  but  the  spook-loving  sailors  were  set  all  agog 
by  the  event.  The  superstitious  fellows  declared 
that  old  Joe  had  been  communicating  with  the  head 
devil,  and  they  looked  for  a  gale,  a  wreck  or  some 
horrible  death  among  their  number. 

The  venerable  officer  had  two  ways  of  showing 
the  circular  whirl  of  precursory  wind-puffs  before  a 
typhoon.  Throw  a  handful  of  bird-down  into  the 
air  during  a  passing  cat's-paw,  and,  if  it  is  the  out 
rider  of  a  typhoon,  the  feathers  will  describe  the 
periphery  of  a  ninety-foot  circle  ;  but  if  only  a  com 
mon  gale  is  pending  the  feathers  will  blow  straight 
nuay.  His  other  capital  test  was  shown  by  a  "  fly," 
made  light  as  gossamer  with  feathers  and  cork. 
During  common  puffs  this  feather-fly  blows  straight 


230  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

out  an  instant  and  then  falls  limp  along  its  staff,  but 
if  the  cat's-paw  preludes  a  cyclone,  the  dainty  little 
fan  ion  whirls  about  in  circles  during  every  pull'. 

A  typhoon  is  not  only  a  great  central  vortex  of 
wind  in  itself,  moving  bodily  along  the  elliptic  of  the 
great  circle  of  the  earth,  —  if  not  forced  from  its 
path  by  high  land,  —  but  it  is  also  made  up  of  mil 
lions  of  small  vortexes  that  tear  up  the  wave-tops 
with  incredible  fury.  It  is  these  secondary  whirl 
winds  which  do  the  most  damage  to  ships  at  sea  and 
to  trees  ashore.  They  have  been  known  to  twist  oil' 
a  topmast  in  a  second,  without  stranding  a  rope  of 
the  rigging,  wringing  off  the  tough  spar  by  spiral 
contortion,  without  evidence  of  the  mast  having 
been  bowed  forward  by  the  squall. 

The  captain  and  Uncle  Joe  sat  in  the  quarter-boat 
watching  for  the  storm  in  anxious  silence.  They 
were  remotely  opposite  types  of  brave,  cool  seamen  ; 
men  ever  found  calmest  in  the  hour  of  greatest  dan 
ger.  One  was  simple  in  his  tastes,  gentle  and  affec 
tionate,  childlike  in  his  piety  and  full  of  reverence 
for  divine  things  ;  a  soul  so  full  of  pure  aspirations 
that  his  spirituality  glowed  through  his  weather-worn 
face  like  a  sun-burst  from  a  storm-cloud  ;  so  provok- 
ingly  fearless  that  sailors  were  wont  to  say  of  him, 
"  Joe  Bailey  don't  know  when  he  ought  to  l>o  afraid." 

The  other  was  a  good  example  of  an  American 
shipmaster,  a  class  of  men  full  of  delicious  surprises. 
AVe  may  know  such  men  for  weeks  and  months  in 
times  of  inaction,  and  deem  them  incapable  of  arous- 


TIME    FOR    A    PUFF.  231 

ing  from  their  quiet,  bookish  ways,  but  there  come 
many  times  during  a  perilous  voyage  when  danger 
leaps  to  the  fore-front,  and  destruction  hangs  by  a 
hair;  times  calling  for  instant  action,  fertile  expe 
dients  and  an  imperious  will  that  all  are  willing  to 
obey  from  a  never-failing  instinct  of  preservation. 
Such  a  man  was  Captain  Lawrence,  loving  peril  as  if 
it  were  a  heritage. 

The  two  officers  watched  the  gathering  storm  and 
revolved  every  expedient  known  to  seamanship,  for 
the  lives  on  board  would  soon  be  imperiled.  There 
was  safety  in  deserting  the  ship  with  boats  and  pro 
visions,  and  pulling  to  the  shore  before  the  storm 
burst.  It  was  a  cowardly  alternative  subsequently 
proposed  by  another.  Captain  Lawrence  was  one 
who  would  rather  perish  trying  to  save  his  noble 
ship  than  adopt  such  a  scheme. 

"Time  for  a  puff,  Uncle  Joe.  Stand  by  Avith  your 
feather  fixings."  A  rustle  was  heard  among  the 
leaves  along  the  shore. 

"  Yis,  sah,  slm  nuf;  dar  she  cums,  hurnin'  like  ar 
bumblebee.  Look  ar  dat,  Cap'n.  See  dem  yere 
feddcrs  whirl.  My  stars  !  de  ole  mischief  am  cumin'. 
It  yam  gwine  ter  blow  de  biggest  kine  o'  guns  fo'  de 
nite  am  ober." 

"You  are  right.  There's  no  escaping  it  now.  I 
think  it  will  burst  upon  us  within  an  hour,  for  the 
moon's  perigee  culminates  about  this  time.  You  had 
better  turn  in  and  get  a  nap  before  it  strikes,"  urged 
the  captain  affectionately. 


232  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

44  Xo,  t'ank  yer,  sah.'  I's  jus  gwine  tcr  ke'p 
watch'  long  wid  my  cap'n.  Sleep  ain't  nuffin  in  sich 
ar  prospek  ez  dis  yere.  I  lub  ter  watch  de  cumiiv 
ob  dese  yere  dreffle  critters.  De  han'  ob  be  Lawd 
am  in  um.  De  gude  book  sez  dat  dese  yere  big-bug 
storms  am  de  wehicle  fo'  Gawd  ter  ride  ter  glory. 
Jes  same  ez  gittin'  fast  ter  ar  big  bull  whale,  whin 
de  wind  pipes  an'  de  sea  tumbles."  And  the  dear 
old  soul  grew  eloquent  on  the  biblical  view  of  the 
subject. 

"  I  suppose  you  have  experienced  many  typhoons 
in  your  old-time  whaling  days?" 

"  Dat's  so,  Cap'n.  Spcrienced  sum  ole  snorters 
on  de  Japan  groun',  befo'  de  folks  gut  run  ob  de 
hatchin'  season.  Tough  fellers,  dem  yere  typhoons, 
whin  dey  put  on  dar  best  clo's.  Dis  chile  duzn't  lub 
de  critters  worry  weel.  Ef  de  Flcetwing  wuz  on'y 
in  de  Isle  o'  Palms,  we  uns  wud  laff  on  toder  side  ob 
de  face." 

"  Yes,  we  couldn't  be  placed  in  a  worse  position 
than  we  are." 

"  Weel,  Cap'n,  de  bressed  Lawd  am  de  on'y  sheet 
anchor  now,  out  in  di«  yere  open  roads  ted.  AVhin 
dat  ole  typhoon  git  tcr  toot  in'  'is  horn,  blow'n'  rite 
on  shore,  den  we's  gut  ter  trus'  in  Gawd  A'miglily, 
an'  reef  de  taups'ils  snug." 

"Right,  Uncle  Joe.  Trust  in  the  heavenly  Father, 
and  work  like  tigers  when  the  time  comes.  It  i-  a 
narrow  space  for  even  a  clipper  to  beat  in.  There's 
less  than  a  mile  between  the  reef  rnd  shore,  and  the 


KEEPING    THE    TOPSAILS.  233 

tucks  will  come  often.  With  a  black  night  above, 
and  the  water  one  sheet  of  foam,  we  can't  distinguish 
either  shore  or  reef;  for  the  land  will  be  a  trifle 
blacker  than  the  night,  and  the  breakers  only  a  little 
whiter  than  the  seas." 

"  Dat's  so,  sah.  But  I  specs  dar's  ar  heap  o' 
luck  in  dis  deah  ole  wessel  yit.  She's  tuck  us  frou 
sum  tough  times,  an'  we'll  trus'  'er  long's  she 
floats." 

The  storm  threaten! ngs  were  increasing  rapidly. 
Heavy  undulations  were  heaving  in  upon  the  reef 
from  many  points  of  the  compass,  breaking  with  a  low, 
muffled  roar.  The  Avind-puffs  were  giving  voice  to 
surly,  wailing  noises,  dismal  and  foreboding  to  the 
ear.  The  rotary  cat's-paw  now  came  in  rapid  suc 
cession,  first  from  one  side  of  the  island  and  then  the 
other.  The  trees  along  the  shore  began  to  wail  like 
resurrected  ghosts. 

Before  one  o'clock  a  smart  gale  was  blowing  from 
the  land,  which  left  the  ship  sheltered  for  the  present. 
When  it  hauled  to  the  west,  as  it  certainly  would  in 
its  natural  rotation,  there  would  be  no  further  pro 
tection  but  the  submerged  reef,  which  would  break 
the  force  of  the  waves,  without  abating  the  wind  in 
the  least. 

The  crew  had  enjoyed  three  hours'  rest.  The 
captain  now  ordered  Mr.  Bailey  and  steward  to  call 
out  all  hands,  as  there  remained  much  work  to  be 
done  before  the  ship  would  be  ready  for  the  worst. 
The  topsails  must  be  close-reefed,  a  reef  taken  in 


234  TIIK    ISLK    OF    PALMS. 

the  foresail,  and    the    storm-mizzen    l>cnt,  as    there 
was  no  reef  to  take  in  the  spanker. 

The  hatches  were  to  be  barred  down,  tarpaulins 
put  on,  and  life-lines  stretched  fore-and-aft  on  each 
side  of  the  deck.  The  skysail  and  royal  yards  must 
be  sent  down,  and  the  royal  masts  struck,  to  lighten 
the  load  aloft.  The  deck  was  lumbered  with  oil 
casks,  which  must  be  got  overboard  out  of  the  wav. 

When  the  mate  came  up  the  crew  were  divided 
into  three  working  gangs,  one  for  each  mast.  All 
were  put  upon  reefing,  furling  and  striking  the 
light  yards  and  masts.  Quick  time  was  made  with 
that  work.  Then  the  cooper's  gang  was  put  to 
becketing  the  casks  and  rafting  them  overboard  by 
strong  ropes,  which  were  secured  to  the  chain  cable 
outside  of  the  hawse  pipe.  This  raft  would  serve  as 
an  extra  buoy  by  which  to  pick  up  the  chain  if  the 
ship  slipped  or  parted  her  cable. 

This  work  thoroughly  accomplished  the  bow  boat 
was  taken  in  and  lashed  over  the  tryworks.  The 
other  three  boats  were  hoisted  upon  the  upper 
cranes,  and  parbuckles  were  placed  around  them  all, 
by  which  to  roll  them  bottom  up  against  the  rigging 
if  need  be. 

An  extra  hand-lead  and  line  were  prepared  for  use, 
for  if  the  ship  got  under-weigh  midst  such  darkness 
it  would  be  necessary  to  feel  the  way  a  Ion--  the  bot 
tom  to  avoid  both  the  reef  and  the  shore. 

By  two  o'clock  the  wind  had  increased  to  a  hur 
ricane.  It  came  soughing  through  the  trees  with  a 


THE    SHRIEKING    GALE.  235 

ghostly,  dismal  sound,  swaying  the  tall  palms  like 
reeds  in  the  wind.  The  surf  tumbled  in  upon  the 
reef  with  a  resounding  roar,  that  echoed  back  from 
the  forest  in  mournful  strain. 

The  force  of  the  wind  increased  momentarily,  till 
it  was  evident  to  ail  that  one  of  the  fiercest  cyclones 
of  the  Indian  seas  had  broken  bounds  and  was  upon 
them.  Sheltered  as  they  Avere  by  the  forest,  the 
wind  bleAV  so  hard  that  the  long  branches  of  the 
palm-trees  Avere  driven  through  the  air  like  avenging 
arrows.  The  cocoa-nuts  came  crashing  down  upon 
the  deck  Avith  the  force  of  cannon-shot.  Some  of 
the  flying  branches  were  driven  deep  into  the  deck 
sheathing,  while  the  nuts  battered  the  masts,  and 
stove  in  some  of  the  front  panels  of  the  cabin. 

Thus  far  the  Fleetwing  held  firm  to  her  anchor, 
without  breaking  ground.  The  coral  bottom  was 
expected  to  resist  the  pressure  of  the  gale  only 
while  the  ship  Avas  sheltered,  and  the  best  bower 
was  now  got  ready  to  drop  the  instant  the  larboard 
anchor  should  drag.  Ninety  fathoms  of  chain  were 
ranged  and  securely  bitted,  ready  for  the  coming 
emergency.  This  was  accomplished  with  but  one 
accident ;  English  Bill  was  knocked  senseless  by  a 
cocoa-nut  in  the  back.  He  was  taken  below  and 
rallied,  but  Avas  off  duty  for  a  week. 

It  Avas  three  o'clock  before  the  gale  hauled  round 
to  the  westward  enough  to  deprive  the  ship  of 
shelter  from  the  land.  It  had  been  veering  point 
by  point  for  the  past  half  hour,  and  was  increasing 


230  THK     ISLK    OF     I'ALMS. 

in  fury  at  the  approach  of  the  storm-centre.  The 
wind  was  no\v  blowing  directly  along  the  shore. 
The  ship  swung  fairly  to  her  anchor,  and,  to  the 
surprise  of  all,  held  firmly  to  the  bottom.  Changing 
the  ship's  position  so  gradually  caused  the  bill  of 
the  anchor  to  burrow  deeper  and  deeper,  and  it  was 
still  holding  beautifully. 

Two  men  were  now  ordered  into  each  top,  ready 
to  loose  the  three  topsails  with  utmost  dispatch 
when  the  cable  parted.  All  hands  were  kept  sta 
tioned  at  the  topsail  sheets,  staysail  halyards  and 
the  fore  and  main  spencers,  alert  for  the  emergency 
that  must  come  soon. 

The  force  of  the  gale  now  became  fearful.  It  was 
almost  impossible  to  crawl  over  the  orlop  deck  to 
watch  the  anchor.  Though  the  reef  shielded  the 
ship  from  the  full  force  of  the  seas,  still  the  waves 
continued  to  increase  steadily,  until  the  ship 
strained  hard  at  her  anchor,  and  must  soon  drag  it 
or  part  the  chain.  The  whole  ninety  fathoms  of 
cable  had  been  paid  out,  and  yet  the  bow  rose  and 
fell  uneasily  in  the  invading  seas. 

As  if  to  add  another  horror  to  the  black  night 
and  the  shrieking  typhoon  a  thunder-storm  now 
burst  upon  the  devoted  ship,  greatly  imperiling  the 
situation.  The  flash  of  electric  fury  let  loose  upon 
them  lit  up  the  shore  and  reef  with  a  ghostly  glare 
on  either  hand.  The  forest  was  a  line  of  dismal 
blackness  ;  the  dark  forms  of  the  bending  trees  wen 
like  an  ariry  of  giants  fleeing  before  the  storm. 


GRAND    AND    TERRIBLE.  237 

The  breakers  on  the  reef  shone  ghastly  white  in  the 
lightning's  flash  where  the  monstrous  surf  crumbled 
into  snowdrift  with  a  deafening  roar. 

Grand  and  terrible  as  was  the  storm  the  falling 
thunder-bolts  and  lightning  flashes  were  added  ele 
ments  of  sublimity  to  brave  hearts  with  souls  calm 
enough  to  enjoy  the  scene  in  such  an  hour  of  peril. 
Such  was  Uncle  Joe.  The  grand  old  man  exulted 
in  the  grandeur  and  beauty  of  the  scene.  Standing 
among  the  men,  under  the  shelter  of  the  hurricane 
house,  his  white  head  reverently  bared,  as  if  in  the 
veritable  presence  of  his  Maker,  Uncle  Joe  wore  a 
rapt  and  smiling  face  as  he  interpreted  the  scene  to 
the  men  : 

"Ah,  chilun,  doan  yer  mind  dis  yere  rumpus. 
De  same  gude  Lawd  what  wuz  wid  us  in  de  calm 
yam  roun'  'bout  us  now.  Dis  yam  Gawd's  woice 
speakin'  in  de  t'under.  Doan  yer  seed  de  Fader's 
face  shine  in  de  lightnin'?  Dis  werry  storm  yam  de 
Lawd's  chariot.  Gawd  A'mighty  rides  straddle  on 
de  wings  ob  de  wind,  while  huntin'  up  all  de  po' 
sinners  ob  de  y earth.  So  tack  ar-bout,  brudders  ! 
Save  yer  soles  fo'  glory,  fo'  de  bressed  Lawd  yam 
on  de  track  ob  us  all." 

Observing  by  the  dim  light  of  the  lantern  that  the 
men  were  gathered  on  the  western  side  of  the  deck, 

c? 

Bailey  instructed  them  to  "Tote  ober  ter  de  port 
side,  chilun.  Fo'  cle  lightnin'  allus  hits  de  fust  lick 
on  de  sunset  side  ob  ebbry  t'ing."  In  further  dis 
cussion  with  Dr.  Greville,  the  old  man  declared 


238  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

that  twenty  times  vessels  in  which  lie  sailed  hud 
been  struck,  and  always  on  the  western  side.  It 
was  such  keen  observations  as  these  that  led  the 
man  of  science  to  lend  a  willing  ear  to  the  black 
wizard  of  the  sea. 

The  typhoon  gradually  hauled  round  to  the  north 
west,  leaving  the  ship  more  thoroughly  exposed,  as 
she  was  now  trailing  fairly  upon  the  land.  The 
momentum  of  blended  wind  and  water  wTas  appall 
ing.  A  dozen  cables  would  not  long  suffice  to  hold 
the  vessel  now,  and  when  it  parted  the  ship  must 
trust  to  her  legs  alone.  She  tugged  bravely  at 
her  anchor  and  breasted  the  seas  nobly,  but  she 
sheered  and  reared  and  bounded  in  the  worst  squalls 
like  a  spurred  steed  facing  the  discharge  of  a  bat 
tery. 

God  grant  that  her  iron  leash  may  hold  !  was  the 
prayer  of  all ;  for  pitiless  were  the  rocks  alee,  and 
the  mad  waves  broke  along  the  shore,  ready  to  engulf 
whatever  came  in  their  grasp. 

The  seamen  had  long  ago  been  sent  into  the  tops 
to  cut  loose  the  topsails  when  the  cable  snapped. 
There  the  brave  fellows  clung  in  the  wet  shrouds, 
with  sheath  knife  in  hand,  ready  to  cut  the  yard-arm 
gaskets  when  the  long-expected  event  should  hap 
pen.  The  helm  had  been  thrust  over  to  starboard 
and  lashed,  preparing  the  ship  for  a  stern-board 
towards  the  land  when  she  broke  adrift.  This 
would  cast  the  vessel's  head  toward  the  reef  while 
sail  was  being  made. 


THE    CABLE    PARTED. 


239 


The  gang  of  men  stationed  at  the  sheets  and 
brails  of  the  two  spencers  and  storm-mizzen  had 
been  in  momentary  expectation  of  fulfilling  their 
orders:  "When  the  chain  parts,  let  ily  and  haul 
aft,  every  man  ! "  For  they  well  knew  that  what 
was  done  must  be  done  quickly,  or  the  sails  would 
be  torn  to  tatters. 

The  captain  kept  his  station  by  the  helm,  with  a 
light  hand  at  the  lashed  wheel.  Bailey  was  looking 
after  the  sails  at  the  main,  with  the  best  gang  of 
men  in  the  ship.  Antoine  looked  after  the  mizzen. 
The  mate  was  forward,  giving  the  closest  attention 
to  the  taut,  hard-strained  cable,  and  ready  to  set 
the  staysail,  spencer  and  fore  topsail  if  the  feat 
could  be  accomplished. 

It  was  nearly  half-past  three  when  another  thun 
der-storm  burst  upon  the  Fleetwing,  adding  a  new 
deluge  to  that  which  already  seemed  more  water  than 
wind.  With  the  driving  rain  came  a  further  in 
crease  of  the  hurricane.  The  wind  came  in  heavy 
concussions,  as  if  huge  rocks  were  being  hurled 
against  masts  and  sides  of  the  doomed  ship.  This 
proved  too  much  for  the  over-strained  cable.  The 
chain  parted  at  the  hawse  pipe  with  the  clang  of  a 
funeral  bell,  heard  above  the  hoarse  din  of  the 
storm  like  the  dread  summons  of  death. 

God  help  them  now  !  Danger  is  upon  every  hand. 
Destruction  is  everywhere.  The  wind-driven  ship 
is  drifting  before  the  blast,  driving  broadside-on 
toward  the  wave-lashed  shore.  Earth,  ocean  and 


240  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

air  seem  hurled  into  one  horizontal  blast.  The  salt 
spray  blended  with  the  avalanche  of  water  from  the 
clouds,  till  the  ship  seemed  drowned  in  a  water 
spout. 

Braybrook  was  at  his  station  on  the  bow,  and  when 
the  shock  of  the  sundering  chain  rang  through  the 
ship  the  hoarse  voice  of  the  mate  pierced  every  ear 
with  needles  of  sound  : 

"  Make  sail  !  "  came  like  a  volley  of  bullets  along 
the  rushing  gale.  True,  the  imperative  sentence 
was  shattered  into  a  thousand  fragments,  but  the 
spirit  of  the  vital  order  was  there,  riding  like  a  ghost 
on  the  black  wings  of  the  wind. 

The  darkness  of  the  night  at  that  moment  was  of 
more  than  hadean  blackness.  So  dark,  that  the 
land  could  not  have  been  seen  had  the  stern  of  the 
ship  been  clutched  fast  by  the  shore.  Here  was  a 
time  to  try  the  souls  of  men.  Puny  man  and  the 
mad  elements,  when  thus  pitted  in  battle,  are  most 
unequal  contestants.  One  single  error  in  the  pend 
ing  combat,  and  all  were  lost !  The  previous  pre 
cautions  so  judiciously  taken  were  the  work  of 
seamen  who  outwit  a  gale  before  it  comes. 

If  the  storm  sails  can  now  be  set  without  rendinir 
into  ribbons  the  Fleetwing  is  perhaps  equal  to  beat 
ing  against  the  hurricane.  When  the  cable  parted, 
the  half-stunned  seamen,  alow  and  aloft,  anticipated 
the  mate's  order  and  worked  like  heroes.  The  stay 
sail,  spencers  and  mizzen  were  all  fairly  set  while  the 
ship  was  making  her  stern-board,  and  held  their 


THE    SHIP    ASHORE.  241 

weather  leeches  to  the  wind.  So,  also,  were  the  three 
topsails  loosed  before  the  ship  fell  off,  and  ready  to 
sheet  home  when  the  bow  swung  off  sufficiently  to 
shiver  them  in  the  gale. 

All  this  had  been  so  well  timed  that  the  topsails 
were  set  and  braced  up,  drawing  full  to  the  beam 
gale,  when  the  stern-post  began  to  grate  and  then 
bump  hard  on  the  coral  beach. 

*'  Fader  in  Heben  !  yam  de  gude  ship  los',  arter 
we  uns  truss  'er  ter  dee?"  was  Uncle  Joe's  heart 
rending  cry,  heard  only  by  the  God  above  through 
the  Avild  din  of  the  gale. 

Now  came  a  time  to  test  the  quality  of  the  Fleet- 
wing  ;  the  hardest  test  of  any  name  or  nature  ever 
put  upon  a  sailing  craft,  to  gather  headway  with  her 
stern  held  fast  in  the  grip  of  the  sand. 

The  storm-sails  were  all  drawing,  strained  to  their 
utmost,  in  one  of  the  fiercest  gales  that  ever  blew. 
The  ship  careened  beyond  her  bearings  as  never 
before.  Crouching  with  the  cunning  of  a  tiger  be 
fore  he  springs,  she  trembled  and  staggered  and 
wrung  her  oaken  keel  under  the  strong  press  of  sail, 
then  slowly  gathered  way  and  dragged  her  impris 
oned  stern  from  the  sand.  She  had  cleared  the 
shore  and  was  free. 

"She's  afloat!  she's  afloat!"  were  the  delirious 
shouts  that  rang  through  the  ship,  though  every 
voice  was  throttled  by  the  gale.  No  man  present 
can  ever  forget  that  hour  to  his  dying  day.  The 
outcry  of  every  soul,  whether  saint  or  sinner,  turned 


24.2  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

God-ward  with  such  heart-felt  praise  as  finds  favor 
in  the  divine  record  above. 

The  Fleetwing  now  sprung  to  her  task  like  a  met 
tlesome  charger  which  feels  the  goading  spur  in  his 
side.  The  royal  creature  came  up  to  the  wind  and 
shook  her  plumage  in  the  gale  like  a  kingly  alba 
tross  rising  peerless  above  the  storm.  The  gigantic 
seas  came  at  her,  burying  her  bows  in  tons  of  foam, 
as  with  intent  to  contest  her  right  of  way. 

The  ship  dashed  on  through  the  darkness  in  the 
direction  of  the  reef,  which  lay  smothered  in  foam 
somewhere  in  her  path.  It  now  became  a  question 
of  moment  to  learn  if  the  new  danger  could  be  dis 
covered  before  striking  upon  it.  The  space  between 
reef  and  land  was  a  mile  wide.  The  ship  was  sail 
ing  fully  live  knots  an  hour  and  required  but  twelve 
nrnutes,  at  present  speed,  to  decide  her  fate. 

Two  hand-leads  were  kept  going  freely,  one  cast 
from  the  lee  fore-ch.iins,  the  other  from  the  starboard 
boat.  The  leads  wore  thrown  alternately,  lest  some 
error  should  prove  fatal  to  the  ship.  Soundings 
taken  on  the  previous  day  proved  that  the  reef  was 
bold  to  approach,  so  that  the  leads  were  not  likely  to 
give  warning  of  its  dangerous  proximity. 

Ten  minutes  passed  and  every  heart  became  tu 
multuous  with  apprehension.  Seeing  was  now  a 
useless  faculty  and  availed  nothing;  nei.lier  could 
the  sense  of  hearing  proifer  friendly  aid,  for  the  surf 
on  the  reef  could  make  no  louder  uproar  than  the 
mad  wind  and  the  mountain  waves. 


BREAKERS    AHEAD  !  243 

The  gigantic  billows  came  roaring  along  the  sur 
face  with  frightful  velocity,  crashing  against  the  oak 
planking  like  shocks  of  cavalry  hurled  against  a 
bittlement  of  steel.  The  white  tops  of  the  black 
billows  seemed  torn  as  with  the  talons  of  vultures, 
rent  into  shreds  of  flying  foam  and  sent  streaming 
through  the  seething  air,  like  fringes  of  white  hair 
rended  from  a  thousand  maddened  coursers. 

All  hands  were  kept  at  their  stations,  ready  to 
tack  about  on  the  instant.  The  flash  of  a  pistol  had 
been  agreed  upon  as  the  mate's  signal  from  the  bow 
when  the  reef  was  discovered. 

Twelve  minutes  went  by,  leaving  every  soul  in  an 
as;ony  of  suspense.  For  one  instant  the  wind  seemed 
less  furious  and  the  waves  less  turbulent,  as  if  the 
ship  had  become  embayed.  Suddenly  a  vast  Avhite 
wall  of  phosphorescent  breakers  confronted  the  look 
outs,  towering  like  an  Alpine  avalanche  high  above 
the  bows.  The  mate's  pistol  flashed  the  signal  : 

"Tack  ship!"  —  which  set  thirty  frantic  seamen 
at  work  like  madmen. 

The  helm  was  thrust  alee  and  the  forward  sheets 
let  fly.  The  spanker  boom  was  quickly  bowsed 
amidships,  and  the  ship  righted  and  rushed  into  the 
teeth  of  the  wind,  turned  in  her  own  length  and 
headed  back  toward  the  land,  without  rending  a  yard 
of  her  canvas.  The  whiteness  of  the  breakers  had 
proved  the  salvation  of  the  ship. 

Never  before  had  the  deep  after-keel  of  the  Fleet- 
wing  shown  to  such  advantage.  A  ship's  length 


244  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

nearer  to  the  dread  danger,  and  the  vessel  would 
have  crashed  upon  the  reef  and  become  entangled  in 
the  grip  of  the  breakers  beyond  recovery.  Even  as 
it  was,  after  the  ship  had  tacked,  the  swirling  foot- 
swash  of  the  surf  was  wrangling  with  her  rudder 
like  a  snarl  of  infuriated  serpents  bent  upon  her 
destruction. 

It  now  became  a  question  whether  the  black  land 
could  be  distinguished  through  the  blacker  gloom  of 
the  night.  All  went  well  until  the  first  six  minutes 
had  passed,  and  the  ship  had  sailed  half  way  across 
the  channel.  Then  another  thunder-squall  burst 
upon  the  vessel.  The  fierce  lightning  illuminated 
the  infernity  of  the  scene  and  disclosed  the  wild 
chaos  near  about  them.  The  wet  masts  and  shrouds 
gleamed  in  the  vivid  Hashes  like  molten  gold.  The 
vast  black  waves  rolling  down  upon  the  ship  seemed 
ridden  by  spectral  riders,  panoplied  in  white  whirl 
winds  of  foam,  who  lashed  their  gigantic  steeds  with 
the  wrath  of  the  storm. 

During  the  squall  the  wind  hauled  four  points 
more  to  the  northward,  bringing  a  new  element  of 
danger.  Instead  of  sailing  directly  across  the  mile- 
wide  channel  the  ship  was  now  headed  partly  alonir 
the  land,  upon  such  an  angle  that  it  was  diiiicult  to 
determine  the  distance  sailed. 

The  fate  of  all  now  depended  upon  the  careful  ca-t 
of  a  leaden  plummet.  A  lantern  was  held  for  each 
of  the  leadsmen  to  read  his  marks,  and  every  cast 
was  watched  most  anxiouslv.  As  the  calls  of  tin- 


"  QUARTER    LESS    FOUR!"  245 

leadsmen  could  not  be  heard,  they   made  signs  by 
holding  up  four  fingers  —  denoting  four  fathoms  - 
after  each  cast.     The  ship  was  on  the  southern  tack 
sixteen  minutes  before   the  sounding   changed.     At 
the  next  cast  the  forward  leadsman  held  up  but  three 
fingers,  calling  out : 
"  Quarter  less  four  !  " 

The  mate's  pistol  flash  mimicked  the  lightning  for 
an  instant.  The  ship  sprang  into  the  wind,  breast 
ing  the  gale  gallantly,  shaking  her  wet  canvas  with 
a  noise  rivalling  the  thunder  as  she  swung  round  on 
the  port  tack  without  grounding.  But  when  fairly 
round,  headed  for  the  reef,  both  leadsmen  called  : 

"Three  and  a  quarter  fathoms!"  -leaving  just 
six  spare  inches  of  water  under  the  keel,  and  no  land 
to  be  seen. 

Having  now  found  that  the  Fleetwing  was  equal  to 
the  task  of  beating  out,  the  ship  was  kept  close  into 
the  wind  to  while  away  time  till  daylight.  Shortly 
after  four  o'clock  the  wind  again  shifted  in  a  squall 
of  rain,  about  N.  by  E.  It  was  thought  best  to 
tack,  though  they  had  not  seen  the  breakers,  as  the 
ship  could  now  be  headed  close  along  under  the  lee 
of  the  reef. 

The  dawn  was  long  coming,  and  at  five  o'clock 
another  danger  confronted  them.  The  ship  had 
worked  so  far  to  the  west  on  her  present  tack  that 
the  curve  of  the  reef  must  now  trend  down  across 
her  bow  to  the  S.  E.  To  meet  this  difficulty  the 
fore-topsail  was  ordered  aback,  to  make  a  dead 


THK    ISLK    OF    PALMS. 

drift.  But  a  squall  struck  the  ship  at  that  moment, 
and  the  topsail  blew  out  of  the  bolt-ropes  with  the 
report  of  a  cannon. 

This  misfortune  .compelled  a  reduction  of  sail 
aft,  and  the  mizzen-topsail  was  taken  in  and  furled. 
The  ship  was  kept  crowded  into  the  wind,  and  an 
anchor  got  ready  to  drop  —  as  a  last  resort  —  to 
club-haul  the  ship  round  on  the  other  tack,  in  case 
she  lee-bowed  the  reef,  and  there  was  not  room  to 
wear  round. 

There  now  came  such  a  down-pouring  of  rain  as 
none  but  the  family  of  Noah  ever  recorded.  The 
heavens  j-eemed  to  open  a  sluice-way  with  intent  to 
deluge  the  ship.  It  had  the  effect  to  kill  the  wind, 
and  left  the  ship  tossing  and  rolling  in  a  calm. 
The  deck  was  a  foot  deep  in  water  and  the  open 
wash-boards  in  the  bulwarks  were  not  sufficient  out 
let.  It  was  at  first  believed  to  be  a  water-spout,  but 
it  lacked  the  rotative  motion  of  such  a  vortex. 

It  was  a  strange  phenomenon.  As  the  barometer 
had  not  risen  there  was  no  evidence  that  the  ty 
phoon  had  passed.  It  was  finally  decided  that  the 
ship  was  enclosed  in  the  vortex  of  the  storm-centre ; 
this  conclusion  was  borne  out  by  puffs  of  wind  strik 
ing  the  ship  from  every  point  of  the  compass,  and  it 
would  soon  be  confirmed  by  the  ship  being  caught 
up  by  the  southern  edge  of  the  storm. 

As  daylight  was  breaking  more  sail  \va^  required 
to  work  into  the  harbor,  if  the  wind  should  remain 
light.  The  inner  jib  and  fore-staysail  were  loosed 


AT    ANCHOR    INr    SAFETY.  247 

and  set,  and  the  reefed,  foresail  loosed  and  left  hang 
ing  in  the  buntlines. 

At  length  a  strong  puff  came  from  the  N.  E.,  and 
it  came  to  stay.  In  ten  minutes  the  gale  was  re 
newed  in  all  its  fury  ;  before  the  gale  piped  on  the 
yards  were  braced  about,  the  sheets  got  over  to  star 
board,  the  foresail  set  and  the  ship  headed  in  toward 
the  land. 

The  rain  ceased  soon  as  the  wind  assumed  con 
trol.  When  it  cleared,  the  reef  was  found  close 
under  the  lee,  the  surf  combing  over  it  from  every 
direction.  Standing  over  toward  the  island,  the 
shore  was  soon  visible,  and  the  ship  kept  away,  run 
ning  along  the  beach  with  a  free  wind. 

O  O 

When  approaching  the  inlet  to  the  harbor  the 
gale  suddenly  chopped  round  to  the  S.  E.,  taking 
the  ship  aback,  and  bursting  the  jib  in  an  instant. 
The  ship  got  safely  round  on  the  starboard  tack, 
without  further  loss  of  sails,  and  the  wind  blew  fair 
for  her  to  enter  the  channel.  Keeping  away  with 
eased  yards,  she  ran  through  into  the  bay  and 
dropped  her  best  bower  near  the  old  anchorage. 
With  glad  hearts  and  many  a  silent  prayer  the 
Fleetwing's  people  clewed  up  and  furled  the  Avet 
canvas,  that  had  so  providentially  saved  them  from 
destruction. 

The  dear  little  harbor  was  in  a  sad  plight.  Every 
foot  of  the  bay  was  found  covered  with  palm  leaves 
and  foliage  of  every  hue,  torn  from  the  tropical 
trees.  Deck-loads  of  various  kinds  of  fruits  had 


248  T1IE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

been  cast  into  the  haven  by  t!^j  ruthless  wind.  The 
tallest  trees  were  still  tasked  to  their  utmost  to  with 
stand  the  storm.  Bending  and  swaying,  soughing 
and  sighing,  their  best  element  of  strength  was 
gained  from  the  mutual  support  derived  from  cling 
ing  to  each  other.  Such  a  scene  would  have  been 
appalling  had  not  the  crew  already  battled  with  the 
mad  elements  at  their  worst.  Thus  the  magnitude 
of  danger  is  best  shown  by  contrast.  The  infernal 
uproar  which  still  dinned  in  their  ears  served  to 
awaken  a  pleasant  reminiscence  of  their  escape  from 
the  storm  without. 

When  the  ship  was  made  snug,  and  breakfast 
over,  all  hands  were  ordered  to  turn  in  for  a  long 
rest,  for  their  labors  of  body  and  mind  had  been 
exhaustive  in  the  hard  tussle  with  the  typhoon. 
Hoogley  took  the  forenoon  watch,  and  all  others 
crawled  out  of  their  wet  clothes  into  the  berths, 
laughing  at  the  harmless  uproar  of  the  hurricane 
without,  and  indifferent  to  the  murky  gloom  of  the 
sky,  which  lowered  over  the  bay  black  as  the  fore 
cast  of  doom. 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 

THE    SPANISH    WRECK. 

THP]  typhoon  somewhat  abated  at  sunset,  and  by 
midnight  not  u  storm-cloud  could  be  seen. 
The  stars  came  out  and  dotted  the  canopy  above, 
imparting  joy  to  the  night-watch,  like  a  revelation 
from  heaven.  The  twinkling  orbs  peered  down 
into  the  tranquil  bay  with  benignant  faces,  as  if 
they  knew  nothing  of  the  pandemonium  that  had 
just  transpired. 

But  for  the  torn  foliage,  the  broken  trees,  and  the 
rent  sails,  the  Fleetwing's  people  might  well  have 
doubted  the  scene  of  devastation  that  they  had  wit 
nessed.  It  would  be  weeks  before  the  palms  would 
be  presentable,  and  the  foliage  of  other  trees  could 
replace  their  loss.  Every  flower  was  stripped  from 
shrub  and  vine,  and  not  a  fully-ripened  fruit  was 
left  upon  the  trees. 

An  hour  before  dawn  all  hands  were  roused  out 
to  begin  the  duties  of  the  day.  Breakfast  was  eaten 
by  lamplight,  and  the  tryworks  were  started  on  the 
blubber  of  the  six  whales  while  it  was  yet  dark. 

[249] 


'250  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

It  was  understood  that  the  boiling  must  be  driven  to 
the  utmost,  as  the  mellow  blubber  in  the  hold  was 
already  losing  oil  from  being  so  moiled  about  by  the 
gale. 

Taking  three  boats  and  twenty  men,  before  the 
break  of  day  Braybrook  pulled  round  the  island  to 
work  upon  the  other  Avhales.  Spades,  tackles, 
grapnels,  and  alj  other  things  needful  to  strip  the 
blubber  from  the  whales  were  taken.  First  of  all 
every  whale  had  to  be  scarfed  in  several  places 
across  the  back  to  relieve  the  strain  on  the  blubber, 
the  bodies  had  become  so  swollen  from  being  tossed 
upon  the  shore. 

Three  gangs  were  then  set  to  work  rolling  oil'  the 
blubber  by  means  of  tackles  made  fast  to  the  trees. 
The  heads  were  left  on  for  the  ship  to  cut  oil',  long 
after,  when  ready  to  hoist  them  on  board.  As  the 
oily  jackets  were  stripped  off  they  were  left  afloat 
in  the  water,  anchored,  or  tied  to  the  trees,  to  await 
the  ship's  coming. 

When  night  approached  the  mate's  gang  drew 
their  boats  upon  the  beach  and  worked  their  way 
through  the  trees  to  the  bay  shore,  where  a  boat 
from  the  ship  came  to  take  them  on  board.  So  the 
days  passed  in  hard,  unremitting  toil.  The  boiling 
was  continued  night  and  day,  and  to  do  the  best, 
much  oil  would  be  lost  from  delay  in  boiling. 

When  the  ship  was  ready  for  more  blubber  the 
anchor  was  taken  and  catted,  and  the  ship  was 
sailed  round  to  the  north  shore.  Anchoring  near  to 


CUTTING-IX    THE    WHALES.  251 

the  rafted  blubber,  the  blanket-pieces  were  only 
hove  aboard  as  required,  as  the  hot  deck  set  the  oil 
to  streaming  and  buckets  were  kept  under  the  scup 
pers  to  receive  it. 

The  anchor  and  chain  from  which  the  ship  had 
parted  were  left  where  they  lay  till  less  busy  times. 
The  rafted  casks  attached  to  the  cable  were  hoisted 
on  board,  as  required  to  fill  with  oil.  There  was 
now  no  fear  of  gales,  for  but  one  typhoon  is  looked 
for  at  each  change  of  monsoons,  which  occurs  during 
March  and  November,  or  at  some  approximate  time. 

It  would  require  three  weeks'  hard  labor  to  boil 
out  and  stow  down  the  eleven  hundred  barrels  of 
oil  taken  from  the  thirty-one  whales.  This,  to 
gether  with  Mocha  Dick's  oil,  would  secure  to  the 
Fleetwing  the  third  of  a  voyage  when  four  months 
out,  —  most  unusual  luck  and  well  worth  the  hard 
toil  now  required  of  her  crew. 

After  the  blubber  was  boiled  out  and  the  last  of 
the  heads  hoisted  aboard,  the  ship  was  warped  out 
over  the  lost  cable,  the  chain  hove  in  and  the  anchor 
taken  to  the  cathead  where  it  belonged.  At  length 
the  dozen  or  more  carcasses  that  still  remained  em 
bayed  in  the  angle  of  the  reef  wrere  made  most  un 
savory  by  the  heat  of  the  torrid  sun,  and  it  was 
'determined  to  run  back  into  the  harbor  with  the 
next  coming  breeze. 

During  the  night  one  of  the  boil  ing- watch  discov 
ered  what  seemed  to  be  a  wreck  hove  up  on  the 
reef,  half  a  mile  out  from  the  land.  The  object 


252  THK    ISL.K    OF    I'ALMS. 

loomed  in  the  darkness,  showing  the  indistinct  out 
line  of  a  vessel's  hull.  It  gradually  changed  its  po 
sition,  as  though  the  surf  hove  it  further  in  upon 
the  reef.  Sometimes  it  was  buried  in  the  breakers 
and  again  would  emerge  into  stronger  outline  than 
before.  At  length  the  object  worked  completely 
over  the  reef  and  disappeared  under  water. 

At  early  daybreak  their  old  enemy,  the  devil-fish, 
was  seen  feeding  upon  a  carcass  near  where  the  sup 
posed  wreck  had  disappeared,  which  accounted  for 
what  the  night-watch  had  seen.  The  maimed  beast 
evidently  crept  slowly  because  of  his  recent  wounds. 
When  the  sun  came  up  the  great  beast  had  not  con 
cluded  his  breakfast,  but  seemed  annoyed  by  the 
strong  light ;  suddenly  he  dropped  under  water  and 
dragged  the  half-eaten  carcass  down  with  him. 

In  about  two  hours  the  carcass  came  bobbing  up 
to  the  surface  again,  greatly  depleted  of  its  decayed 
ilesh.  This  occurrence  caused  great  uneasiness  on 
board,  lest  the  monster,  now  festering  under  his 
wounds,  should  be  tempted  to  again  attack  the  ship ; 
for  with  open  hatches,  tiers  of  unlashed  oil  casks 
and  ten  whale's  heads  on  deck,  the  ship  was  in  no 
condition  for  battle. 

The  trades  were  delayed  later  than  usual.  At 
nine  o'clock  a  commotion  was  heard  about  another 
carcass  not  far  away  from  the  ship.  The  ugly  beast 
had  reached  up  a  few  of  his  tentacles  and  grappled 
the  whale,  trying  to  pull  it  down,  but  the  flesh  would 
tear  off  and  the  carcass  leap  up  half  out  of  water. 


THE    DEVIL-FISH.  253 

Not  till  the  devil-fish  took  the  whale  wholly  in  his 
arms  did  he  accomplish  what  he  designed.  AVhen 
the  breeze  freshened  the  anchor  was  quietly  lifted, 
and  the  Fleetwing  ran  round  into  the  haven.  She 
anchored  near  the  Bird's  Nest,  heartily  glad  to 
escape  another  encounter  with  their  dreadful  enemy. 

Now  that  the  ship  was  again  fairly  settled  to  her 
routine  work  the  officers  began  to  speculate  about 
the  probable  circumstances  of  the  galleon's  wreck. 
As  Uncle  Joe  still  persisted  in  declaring  that  there 
was  treasure  in  the  Spanish  vessel,  and  that  the  Fire 
Cross  was  the  good  genius  meant  to  draw  their  at 
tention  to  it,  Braybrook  induced  the  captain  to  spare 
a  few  men,  and  let  him  land  and  cut  into  the  trees 
over  the  old  argosy  and  determine  the  question. 

This  being  agreed  upon,  the  following  morning, 
after  an  early  breakfast,  the  mate  took  a  gang  of 
men  —  selecting  the  best  wood-choppers  among  the 
crew  —  and  pulled  ashore,  well  supplied  with  axes 
and  other  implements  required  for  the  work.  The 
undergrowth  was  found  so  dense  on  the  bay- side  that 
work  was  begun  on  the  north  shore,  as  it  would  be 
much  cooler  on  the  seaward  side  than  in  the  harbor. 
The  design  was  first  to  clear  away  all  the  trees  and 
shrubbery  over  the  arched  way  before  breaking 
through  the  coral  above  the  wreck.  The  brush  and 
vines  were  cast  into  the  sea,  Avhile  all  wood  fit  for 
burning  was  reserved  for  ship's  use.  By  the  end  of 
the  first  day  the  men  had  cleared  the  woods  suffi 
ciently  to  see  how  the  ancient  galleon  lay  in  the 
reef-bed. 


254  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

"When  the  old  craft  struck  upon  the  submerged 
reef  she  was  probably  scudding  before  a  typhoon, 
steering  about  W.  S.  W.  The  coral  being  then  in 
active  growth  was  slowly  built  upon  every  part  of 
the  vessel,  and  in  time  —  a  century  perhaps  —  bridged 
over  the  entire  hull  to  the  thickness  of  three  feet. 
At  length,  by  slow  growth,  or  some  sudden  upheaval 
of  the  sea-bottom,  the  reef  emerged  above  the  sea ; 
soil  began  to  accumulate,  where  palms  and  other 
thrifty  plants  found  root,  until  the  whole  ring-shaped 
island  took  form  upon  the  sea. 

Three  days'  labor  served  to  clear  the  wood  entirely 
away  from  above  the  hulk  forward  to  the  foremast, 
which  was  still  standing  hidden  among  the  tree-tops, 
the  main  and  mizzen  masts  having  broken  short  off 
at  the  deck.  The  men  began  work  at  the  stern  of 
the  vessel,  where  the  coral  covering  was  three  feet 
thick,  increasing  its  thickness  as  they  advanced  in 
shore.  Over  this  coral  archway  was  a  stratum  of 
rich  soil,  six  feet  deep.  Part  of  this  space  above  the 
vessel  was  occupied  by  r,  thick  grove  of  palm-tree-, 
where  cocoa-nuts  covered  the  surface  to  the  depth  of 
three  feet.  These  were  heaped  up  and  saved  to  feed 
to  hogs  on  board  the  ship. 

The  fourth  day  was  spent  shovelling  away  the 
earth  and  clearing  the  tangle  of  roots  and  vines, 
thickly  burrowed  into  the  crevices  above  the  long- 
buried  wreck.  A  pathway  was  also  opened  throuirli 
the  trees  to  the  harbor,  which  gave  the  crew  more 
direct  communication  with  the  ship. 


WRECKING  THE  GALLEON.  255 

On  the  fifth  day,  picks,  crowbars  and  old  axes 
were  brought  into  use.  The  coral  bridge  was  broken 
into  and  wholly  cleared  away  to  the  foremast,  leav 
ing  the  main  deck  and  bulwarks  bare.  This  dis 
closed  what  was  left  of  the  three-storied  poop-decks 
at  the  stern  of  the  quaint  old  galleon,  as  well  as  the 
crooked  sheer  of  the  midship  water-line;  and  it 
enabled  them  to  see  something  of  the  ungainly  orlop 
deck,  two  stories  high,  built  from  the  bow  back  to 
the  foremast.  This  outlandish  build  served  to  date 
her  time  of  construction  far  back,  prior  to  the  Spanish 

Armada. 

Upon  the  sixth  day  Mr.  Morey  joined  the  wreck 
ing  party,  having  convalesced  enough  to  look  after 
another  sang  of  ten  men  that  the  captain  could  spare 
from  ship  work.  The  task  of  breaking  through  the 
deck  into  the  hold  was  found  much  more  laborious 
than  anticipated.  Every  part  of  the  buried  v/ood- 
work  had  become  crystallized  with  a  thick,  stony, 
coralline  substance.  In  fact,  most  of  the  vessel's 
planking,  deck-beams,  casks  and  other  packages 
found  below  were  completely  petrified,  so  that  the 
men's  work  was  like  mining  through  rock.  The 
coral  OTOWS  fast  to  everything  of  wood,  as  shells 

o 

adhere  to  rocks. 

This  stony  condition  of  everything  soon  blunted 
the  edge  of  axes  and  all  other  tools,  necessitating 
the  use5 of  picks  and  crow-bars  to  break  into  the  pet 
rified  antiquity.  This  greatly  delayed  work  and 
overtaxed  the  mate's  patience,  who  started  on.tho 


25()  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

job  without  a  particle  of  faith  in  finding  treasure. 
Thinking  he  had  a  common  wooden  wreck  to  deal 
with,  Braybrook  expected  to  make  short  work  of  it ; 
meanwhile  he  could  gratify  his  curiosity  about  the 
construction  of  the  very  ancient  craft. 

The  west  side  of  the  galleon  was  grown  solid  to 
the  rock.  On  the  east  side  of  the  wreck  a  water 
channel  was  found  reaching  through  from  sea  to  bay, 
of  sufficient  width  and  depth  for  the  Fleetwing  to 
sail  through,  but  for  the  coral  bridge  arched  over  the 
hidden  way.  This  was  the  devil's  den,  in  which 
the  hideous  sea-beast  had  passed  his  days  previous 
to  finding  the  carcasses  to  feed  upon.  His  return 
was  watched  for  and  greatly  dreaded,  for  he  was 
such  a  difficult  creature  to  kill. 

In  demolishing  what  remained  of  the  cabins  and 
store-rooms  on  the  poop-decks,  a  small,  brass  swivel 
cannon  was  exhumed  from  among  the  transom  tim 
bers.  It  was  found  encased  in  a  block  of  coral  big 
as  a  barrel,  so  that  no  one  guessed  what  it  was  until 
it  was  partly  broken  into  ;  when  Braybrook  found 
what  it  was,  he  bade  the  men  leave  the  gun  to  be 
taken  on  board  as  a  curiosity. 

Captain  Lawrence  came  ashore  to  note  progress 
and  see  the  coral-cased  cannon.  lie  at  once  .sug 
gested  dragging  4he  boat  through  the  devil's  dm, 
alongside  of  the  wreck,  as  the  best  method  of  trans 
shipping  what  they  wished  to  the  Fleetwing.  This 
was  accomplished  by  floating  a  rope  on  a  buoy 
through  into  the  bay,  where  it  was  anchored  and 


THE  DEVIL'S  DEN.  257 

buoyed,  and  could  be  used  to  ferry  a  boat  back  and 
forth  as  required. 

The  plan  was  acted  upon  at  once.  At  first  no  one 
was  found  willing  to  remain  in  the  boat  while  mak 
ing  the  passage,  lest  the  devil-fish  or  some  of  his 
family  were  within  ;  but  after  the  starboard  boat  had 
been  dragged  back  and  forth  a  few  times,  several 
were  found  willing  to  explore  the  underground  way. 
The  cannon  was  the  first  piece  of  freight  taken 
aboard  through  the  devil's  den.  After  it  was 
hoisted  upon  the  Fleetwing's  deck  the  coral  shell 
was  knocked  off,  disclosing  the  long-buried  relic. 
The  date  1500  was  found  cast  in  the  breech  of  the 
o-un.  Nearly  three  and  a  half  centuries  old.  During 
the  afternoon  two  wine  casks  were  resurrected  from 
the  cabin  store-rooms  on  the  lower  poop-deck.  The 
casks  were  encased  in  coral,  though  less  heavily  than 
the  gun.  Branded  upon  both  was  found  the  date 
1527&. 

This  evidence  seemed  to  be  reliable  enough  for  all 
purposes  of  research.  With  this  date  to  start  from, 
Captain  Lawrence  and  the  doctor  read  up  every  old 
narrative  of  Spanish  voyages  on  board.  One  account 
mentioned  the  sailing,  from  Acapulco,  of  two  gal 
leons,  called  the  "  Luzon"  and  "  Acapulco,"  in  the 
year  1675  ;  both  laden  with  rich  cargoes  and  treas 
ure  for  the  port  of  Manila.  But  the  build  of  neither 
vessel  corresponded  with  the  wreck. 

At  last,  when  in  despair  of  finding  any  record 
which  would  enlighten  them  upon  the  subject,  the 


258  TUP:  ISLE  OF  PALMS. 

captain  came  upon  a  soiled,  coverless  book  among 
Cook's  seven  volumes  of  discoveries.  It  was  a  nar 
rative  of  very  ancient  voyages,  and  promised  well 
from  the  start.  This  book  related  the  sailing  of  three 
richly  laden  argosies  from  a  port  called  Zivat  Lane  jo, 
a  rich  mining  town  in  latitude  20  degrees  N.,  on  the 
newly-acquired  Pacific  coast  of  New  Spain. 

"  These  quaintly  built,  ungainly-looking  argosies," 
continued  the  narrative,  "  were  the  galleon  «  Florida,' 
carrying  twenty  guns  and  fifty  men,  commanded  by 
Don  Alvaro  de  Saavedra,  the  Spanish  admiral ;  the 
full-decked  caravel  '  Santa  lago,'  with  forty-five 
men  and  ten  guns;  together  with  the  small,  half- 
decked  caravel  «  Espiritu  Santo,'  having  fifteen  men 
and  no  guns. 

"  These  vessels  sailed  the  last  of  October,  1,527. 
All  were  bound  to  Luzon  with  merchandise  and 
cathedral  decorations  ;  thence  to  the  Spice  Islands  in 
the  Banda  sea  to  obtain  an  aromatic  careo  for  the 

o 

home-land  of  Spain.  These  vessels  comprised  the 
second  fleet  that  had  endeavored  to  cross  the  newly- 
found  Pacific  —  ten  thousand  miles  wide  —  which 
Balboa  had  discovered  from  the  cliffs  of  Panama  in 
the  year  1513.  Magellan  crossed  the  unknown  ocean 
during  the  year  1521,  confronted  by  death  and  star 
vation  in  his  brave  undertaking. 

''Don  Alvaro  sailed  in  a  charming  season,  one 
usually  exempt  from  storms,  so  that  the  adminil 
had  no  anticipation  of  danger.  lie  sailed  M  thousand 
leagues  without  mishap,  steering  due  W.,  on  the 


THE    ANCIENT   NARRATIVE. 


259 


supposed  course  for  Manila.  During  all  those  pleas 
ant  days  the  two  caravels  found  little  trouble  keep 
ing  company  with  the  lordly  admiral,  and  together 
the  three  winged  their  way  before,  the  trade-wind, 
skirting  the  northern  limit  of  the  tropic  seas. 

"The  Santa  lago  carried  a  goodly  company 
of  monks  and  priests  of  the  holy  Order  of  St.  Au 
gustine,  with  all  the  paraphernalia  of  a  moving 
monastery,  going  to  take  charge  of  the  new  cathedral 
at  Manila.  "One  among  the  jolly  looking  priests  was 
a  stern,  severe  man,  dressed  in  the  most  rigid  style 
of  his  Order. 

"The  Florida  was  a  large  vessel  for  the  times, 
and  her  three-storied  poop-deck  cabins  were  con 
sidered  most  imposing  and  grand.  Her  double  orlop 
decks  made  light  and  airy  habitations  for  the  sailors 
and  marines  The  vessel's  excessively  curved  water- 
line  was  one  of  the  erroneous  notions  of  her  time, 
which  the  next  century  but  slowly  amended. 

"Most  of  the  valuable  and  weighty  part  of -the 
treasure  was  stowed  in  the  Florida's  hold,  and  pro 
longed  and  imposing  were  the  religious  ceremonies 
held  on  her  decks  when  the  stout  galleon  was  con 
secrated  to  her  present  service.  Occasionally  the 
Florida  was  hove-to  and  the  convivial  admiral  would 
send  his  boat  for  the  austere  priest  on  the  Santa 
lago,  presumably  for  some  special  religious  service. 
"Thus  the  Spanish  fleet  sailed  three  thousand 
miles  together  through  the  pleasant  November  days, 
and  all  went  well,  and  none  looked  for  danger  upon 


Till-:    ISLE    OF    I'ALMS. 


the  apparently  landless  sea.  Then  came  the  baleful 
month  of  December,  when  the  dread  Komi  storms 
lashed  the  yet  undiscovered  islands  of  Hawaii. 
Neither  the  admiral,  nor  any  other  white  man,  knew 
anything  of  the  '  Has  de  Mesa,'  — the  table  islands, 
-subsequently  discovered  by  Juan  Gaetano  in 
1555. 

4 'The  so-called  Kona  storms  blow  from  some 
southern  direction,  accompanied  by  long  continued 
squalls  of  blinding  rain.  Such  a  gale  met  Don 
Alvaro's  fleet,  and  the  admiral's  stout  galleon  alone 
survived.  The  vessels  kept  together  till  the  gale 
got  to  its  worst,  though  as  yet  there  was  no  rain  to 
obstruct  the  view. 

4 'The  Espiritu  was  early  disabled,  and  had  to  be 
left  by  her  companions  to  her  fate.  The  half-decked 
craft  was  repeatedly  filled  by  monstrous  seas.  Her 
masts  were  carried  away,  and  when  last  seen  the 
water-logged  caravel  was  drifting  helpless  before  the 
storm.  She  was  finally  wrecked  on  Point  Keei, 
Hawaii,  the  captain  and  a  young  nun  being  the  onlv 
survivors. 

44  The  crew  of  the  Santa  lago  fared  badly,  though 
being  full-decked  she  kept  her  hold  free*.  When  the 
gale  was  at  its  worst,  the  Florida  was  seen  to  c.-i>t 
overboard  her  whole  armament,  gun  after  gun, 
though  she  rode  the  seas  better  than  her  companion. 

44  The  gale  veered  to  the  S.  E.,  brinoinir  u  deluue 
of  rain,  and  the  vessels  were  seen  no  more.  The 
Santa  lago  scud  to  the  X.  E.,  dead  before  the  gale, 


THE    LOST    FLEET.  261 

and  was  soon  cast  ashore  upon  Hawaii,  and  wrecked 
in  Waimanu  valley.  The  grand  old  priest  was  the 
only  soul  spared  among  the  many  dead  strewn  along 
the  rock-bound  coast.  He  was  found  clinging  to  a 
life-size  image  of  the  Virgin,  bruised  and  insensi 
ble. 

4 'The  Kahuna  — or  priest  —  of  the  neighboring 
temple  came  and  saw  his  brother  priest  lying  by  the 
great  idol,  and  welcomed  him  as  a  good  heathen  of 
his  own  kind.  The  half-drowned  man  was  taken  to 
the  temple,  tenderly  cared  for,  and  became  one  of 
their  number. 

''The  Virgin  and  Cross,  compass  and  watch, 
belonging  to  the  priest,  were  considerately  placed 
among  the  hideous  idols  of  the  natives.  Paao  was 
the  name  given  to  the  priest,  in  fond  belief  that  the 
new-comer  was  a  newly-embodied  spirit  of  a  remote 
ancestor  who,  when  dying,  had  promised  to  return  to 
his  people.  Such  was  the  providential  manner  by 
which  the  first  priest  was  introduced  to  the  ancient 
heathens  of  Hawaii. 

"Not  a  trace  of  the  admiral's  vessel  was  ever 
found.  The  vessels  were  watched  for  at  Manila 
with  great  anxiety.  A  general  grief  was  manifested 
for  years  after,  as  the  loss  of  the  cathedral  shrines 
could  not  be  replaced  to  the  religious  community  of 
Luzon  till  long  after. 

"When  the  officials  became  convinced  that  the 
fleet  was  lost,  vigorous  search  was  made  for  the 
wrecks  and  kept  up  for  many  a  year.  It  was  the 


262  TIIK    ISLK    OF    PALMS. 

means  of  discovering  hundreds  of  unknown  islands, 
among  which  was  the  Caroline  group.  But  not 
until  Gaetano  found  and  explored  Hawaii,  and 
learned  from  the  naturalized  priest  Paao  the  sad  loss 
of  at  least  two  of  the  vessels,  did  the  Luzon  officials 
give  up  their  search.  It  is  recorded  in  the  annals  of 
that  date  that  a  typhoon  swept  the  western  Pacific 
in  December,  destroying  many  houses  and  wrecking 
hundreds  of  vessels  about  the  Ladrones  and  Philip 
pine  Islands." 


CHAPTER    XXIV. 

LASSOING    THE    MERMAID. 

IT  was  a  charming  tropical  evening.     The  officers 
were  lounging  about  the  after-part  of  the  quar 
ter-deck,  smoking  and  chatting  about  the  labors  of 

O  O 

the  day,  and  the  timely  narrative  of  "  Spanish  Voy 
ages"  that  the  captain  had  unearthed  from  among 
his  books.  One  and  all  sat  gazing  shoreward 
toward  the  moonlit  wreck,  the  pros  and  cons  of 
which  had  been  weighed  in  all  their  bearings. 

The  result  of  their  sixth  day's  labor  had  been  most 
discouraging  to  all  participants.  The  whole  three 
stories  of  poop-cabins  had  been  unhoused,  stripped 
clean  down  to  the  flush-deck ;  bulkheads,  state 
rooms,  pantries  and  storehouses  laid  bare,  and  but 
little  of  value  had  been  disclosed  to  any  but  the 
antiquarian,  to  whom  the  mould  of  ages  outweighs 
the  glitter  of  gold.  The  whole  main  deck  between 
fore  and  main  masts  had  been  broken  up,  laying  open 
to  view  the  main  hold  of  the  galleon,  showing  nothing 
but  empty  casks  heavily  encased  in  coral,  which 
had  once  contained  fresh  water  and  provisions. 

[2G3] 


2()4  THE    ISLE    OF    1'AL.MS. 

Tired  of  the  discussion,  one  by  one  the  officers 
settled  into  some  restful,  reclining  position,  and 
gave  themselves  up  to  the  soft,  slumberous  influence 
of  the  night.  The  gibbous  moon  had  waned  till  the 

O  c? 

profile  of  Diana  lay  enshrined  in  her  oval  disk  of 
gold.  Fore-and-aft,  the  ship's  company  were  sensi 
bly  impressed  with  the  witching  influence  of  the 
kindly  orb.  Even  Braybrook,  after  showing  quite  a 
display  of  temper  at  his  ill  luck  on  the  wreck,  now  sat 
rapt  in  meditative  silence,  whiffing  his  solacing  pipe 
in  slow,  thin  wreaths  about  his  head,  in  strong  contrast 
to  his  previous  rapid,  spiteful  puffs  an  hour  since. 

Shrewd  old  Uncle  Joe,  guided  by  the  passive 
appearance  of  the  mate's  smoke,  came  quietly  among 
the  group  and  took  his  seat  near  Braybrook,  with 
some  half-disclosed  intent.  The  wrinkled  visage 
of  the  aged  man  beamed  with  sunshine  of  sotd 

O 

within,  —  an  aspect  of  peace  and  quietude  which, 
strangely  enough,  ever  served  to  provoke  the  turbu 
lent  temper  of  the  mate  when  things  went  wrong. 

For  an  instant  Braybrook  did  not  notice  Hailey. 
Presently  his  antagonism  to  the  man  begun  to  show 
itself,  though  he  had  not  seen  who  had  approached. 
But  the  pensive  smoke  suddenly  felt  greater  impetus 
working  down  the  stem  of  the  pipe.  The  relaxed 
pose  of  the  mate  began  to  grow  tense,  and  the  crow'— 
foot  ruffled  the  calm  aspect  of  his  face,  like  a  cat's- 
paw  on  the  unruffled  sea.  Braybrook  sprang  up, 
and  seeing  who  was  near  him,  made  an  abrupt  dive 
into  the  old  prophet's  peaceful  ponderings  : 


UNCLE    JOE5S    PROPHECY.  265 

"  Well,  Uncle  Joe,  what  more  have  you  got  to 
say  about  that  durnod  old  wreck  ?  Do  you  still 
insist  that  we  shall  find  treasure  in  the  tumble-down 
old  hulk  ?  "  Braybrook  resumed  his  impulsive  smok 
ing,  as  a  method  of  preventing  his  saying  too  much, 
as  Captain  Lawrence  would  not  sit  by  and  see  good 
old  Uncle  Joe  pressed  too  hard. 

"  Yis,  sah.  Xo  'stake  'bout  um  dis  time,  Misser 
Braybruc.  Dat  treasur' yam  dar,  sartin'  sure.  Luke 
up  dar,  sah,  an'  seed  dat  Dinah  gal  in  de  moon. 
Dat  purty  gal's  face  yam  jus'  de  culler  ob  de  gole 
yo's  gwine  ter  fine  in  dat  ole  ark  ober  dar." 

"  Blame  me,  if  I'll  believe  a  word  of  it  till  I  see 
the  darned  stuff.  That  moon-face  is  a  little  queer,  " 
—  following  the  old  man's  finger-point  to  the  orb. 
4 'It's  the  best-defined  yellow  gal  ever  seen  there 
before.  That  some  of  your  doings,  Mr.  Bailey?" 
said  with  a  sarcastic  leer  at  his  fellow  officer. 

"  Xo,  sah.  Dat's  de  Lawd's  doin's.  Dat  sweet- 
faced  yaller  gal  am  de  Dinah  angil  what  lubs  dis 
niggar.  An'  she  yam  jus'  cum  ter  spoke  ar  word  ob 
peace  ter  yo',  Misser  Braybruc." 

"  You  git  out  with  your  nonsense.  You'll  make  a 
fellow  believe  the  moon's  made  of  green  cheese, 
pretty  soon,"  exclaimed  the  irate  mate. 

"  Fac',  sah.  Dat  yere  angil  am  cum  ter  'courage 
all  de  dejected  brudders  what  yam  sarchin'  fo' 
treasur'.  Doan  yer  seen  dat  butiful  white  cloud, 
full  ob  lubly  moon-clogs?  Dat's  de  robe  ob  glory 
fo'  dat  sweet  aninl  wid  de  face  in  de  moon.  Luke 


TUP:  ISLE  OF  PALMS. 

ar  dur,  sah !  jus  seen  dat  ar  yaller  gal  smile  on  dis 
po'  ole  brack  brudder.  I  spec  dat  yam  de  angil 
Hope,  cum  ter  spoke  ar  word  ter  yo',  Misser  Bray 
bruc." 

"Oh,  fudge,  Uncle  Joe,  what  makes  a  colored 
Christian  always  prate  about  yellow  gals  and  white 
gals,  instead  of  nigger  gals?  Don't  you  expect  to 
find  nigger  angils  up  in  Kingdom  Come  to  look  after 
you?" 

"  No,  sah-c-e  !  Brudder  Ham'll  be  jus'  ez  white  up 
dar  in  hebcn  c/  Massa  Shem,  yo'  bet  all  yere  ole 
boots  on  dat,  sail.  Why,  brudder  Braybruc,  dis  yere 
niggar  culler  yam  on'y  skin  deep.  Jus'  ar  leedle 
eb'ny  on  de  cut'cle,  what  de  chilun  ob  Yisreal  gut 
whin  dey  trabel  inter  Ye-gypt,  arter  baby  Moses." 

"That's  pretty  likely.  Can't  stuff  that  gospe 
into  me." 

"Dat's  so,  sah,  sure  pop.  Why,  Misser  Braybruc, 
I  specs  yo'  har'ly  kno'  dis  chile  up  dar,  in  de  Ian'  o' 
glory,  I'se  hike  so  spec'ble.  'Cans'  yo'  kno',  sah,  dat 
de'd  niggars  tek  off  dar  brack  clo's  when  dey  go  ter 
heben." 

"  Well,  that'll  do,"  said  Captain  Lawrence,  break 
ing  in  upon  the  mate's  ill-tempered  chaffing. 
"  Now,  gentlemen,  I  feel  almost  certain  that  the 
wreck  before  us  is  the  long-lost  Florida,  that  I  li:mi 
been  reading  about ;  and  as  there  is  no  evidence  of 
her  having  been  wrecked  by  any  one,  there  must  be 
something  valuable  on  board  of  her." 

"Yes,"  responded  the  doctor,  "  the  build  of  this 


THE    TREASURE    SHIP.  267 

old  galleon  is  the  same  as  described  in  the  '  Spanish 
Voyages ; '  the  date  we  have  found  on  the  wine 
casks  confirms  it." 

"But  where  in  time  is  the  treasure?"  urged 
Braybrook.  "  I  don't  think  there's  anything  but 
empty  casks  in  her  hold/' 

"  Nevertheless,  we'll  pull  her  to  pieces  down  to 
the  keelson,  before  we  give  it  up,"  rejoined  the  cap 
tain  firmly. 

"  It  will  take  a  month  to  do  that,  sir.  The  coral 
growth  below  water  is  twice  as  thick  {is  we  have 
found  it  above." 

"Never  mind  all  that.  If  it  takes  six  months, 
we'll  make  a  thorough  job  of  it.  To-morrow,  get  up 
a  heavy  pendant  over  the  wreck,  rigging  it  either 
upon  shears  or  on  the  trees  ;  then  reeve  you  a  three 
fold  tackle,  that  will  serve  to  hoist  out  every  cask  or 
other  package  from  below.  If  need  be,  we  will  tear 
up  every  deck  plank  fore-and-aft,  and  lay  the  whole 
hold  open  to  view." 

"All  right,  sir.  If  thorough  work  is  wanted,  a 
heavy  tackle-purchase  will  be  useful,"  responded  the 
mate,  who  ahvays  yielded  gracefully  when  the  cap 
tain  "took  the  pig  by  the  car"  in  a  matter  of  dis 
cipline. 

The  new  cook  was  ordered  to  prepare  breakfast 
earlier  than  usual,  as  the  evening's  excitement  about 
the  wreck  had  the  effect  to  impart  new  zeal  in  the 
laborious  search  for  the  treasure.  As  the  day  had 
been  toilsome  for  the  wreckers,  Dr.  Greville  offered 


2G8  TIII:  ISLE  OF  PALMS. 

to  take  the  watch  till  midnight,  as  he  had  frequently 
done  before.  In  twenty  minutes  after  the  tiresome 
discussion  was  ended,  not  a  soul  on  deck  but  the 
doctor  was  awake. 

As  we  all  know,  Greville  had  a  paramount  interest 
in  something  besides  the  wreck.  The  mermaid  was 
his  special  infatuation.  Being  only  a  passenger  on 
the  ship  he  could  claim  no  part  in  the  treasure,  if  any 
were  found.  Hence  his  excessive  kindness  in  reliev 
ing  the  toil-worn  sailors  of  the  midnight  watch.  It 
was  now  nearly  a  month  since  the  mermaid  had  been 
seen.  To-night,  the  little  water-girl  greatly  occu 
pied  the  doctor's  thoughts.  Thus  far,  his  recent 
watchings  had  been  fruitless. 

Since  the  ship  last  came  into  the  bay,  Greville 
had  again  taken  to  sleeping  on  the  transom,  where 
he  could  watch  from  one  of  the  large  stern  windows 
for  the  object  of  his  solicitude.  iNightly  he  climbed 
upon  the  transom  with  renewed  desire  to  once  more 
interview  his  little  Morete. 

During  many  such  previous  night-watches  he 
would  fall  asleep,  to  wake  and  watch  again,  dec}) 
into  the  night.  The  patience  of  the  man  in  this 
matter  was  that  of  a  genuine  lover.  So  frequently 
had  he  pondered  upon  the  subject,  that  he  often 
dreamed  of  meeting  Morete,  and  wandering  hours 
among  the  coral  grottoes  down  in  the  weird,  forbid 
den  haunts  of  the  deep  sea.  Strolling  hand  in  hand 
with  the  loved  water-girl,  together  they  interviewed 
the  grim  old  sea-gods,  questioned  them  of  the  buried 


THE    SIXGING    SIRENS.  269 

treasures,  and  nameless,  hidden  secrets  of  the  vasty 
deep.  There  his  mortal  soul  was  tested,  as  never 
before,  by  the  dulcet  tones  of  the  singing  sirens,  that, 
but  for  Morete,  Avould  have  snatched  him  from  his 
accustomed  life  above  the  sea,  and  held  him  in  their 
toils  forever. 

All  these  delicious  dreamings,  together  with  his 
ecstatic  longing  for  further  knowledge  of  the  sea- 
lore,  Greville  prudently  kept  to  himself.  Yet  so 
long  had  he  dwelt  upon  the  little  water-witch,  and 
his  pleasant  pastimes  with  her  under  the  starlit  sea, 
that  at  length,  that  which  had  been  to  him  but  the 
flimsiest  of  dreams  had  now  become  graven  upon 
his  memory  like  some  much-loved  scenes  of  reality. 

The  doctor  passed  the  long,  silent  hours  of  his 
watch  sitting  there  in  the  moonlight  with  ear  and  eye 
alert,  listening  to  every  notable  sound  that  broke 
upon  the  ghostly  stillness  of  the  night.  At  twelve 
M.  Hoogley  was  called,  and  in  turn  roused  out  his 
boat's  crew  to  take  the  watch  till  three  o'clock. 

Half  provoked  at  the  pains  he  was  taking,  Gre 
ville  placed  his  bed  nearer  to  the  open  window  than 
usual.  Tired  with  prolonged  watching,  he  dropped 
asleep  at  once,  and  was  soon  dreaming  of  seeking 
the  mermaid  among  the  coral  groves  and  sandy  lanes 
of  the  sea-bottom.  He  dreamed  that  he  was  kept 
long  waiting  for  his  pretty  sea-nymph  to  come  forth. 
He  could  hear  her  singing  in  the  distance,  and  at 
length  she  came  to  him  with  outstretched  hands,  lips 
parted  with  smiles,  and  eyes  brightening  with  glad 
ness. 


270  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

As  he  advanced  to  greet  the  charming  creature, 
she  slowly  receded,  though  with  ever-extended  hand 
and  looks  beaming  with  welcome,  till  at  length  she 
vanished  like  a  morning  mist  from  his  view.  This 
so  annoyed  the  dreamer  that  he  half  aroused  from 
his  deep  sleep,  and  sprang  up  to  look  about  him, 
listening,  as  in  his  dream,  for  the  voice  of  Morete. 

There,  to  his  surprise  and  delight,  he  beheld  the 
graceful  mermaid,  half  reclining  on  the  dark  water 
beneath  his  window.  She  lay  in  the  shadow  of  the 
stern,  calling  "Morete,  Morete!"  her  swaying  fig 
ure  blotting  out  the  mirrored  stars,  as  she  watched 
the  doctor's  face  with  unmistakable  looks  of  glad 
ness.  Toying  with  her  hair,  as  might  a  human 
maiden,  she  swam  playfully  back  and  forth  across 
the  stern,  like  a  sportive  seal  attracted  by  a  strain 
of  music. 

Quietly  and  cautiously,  Greville  worked  his  body 
out  of  the  window  till  he  could  stretch  his  arms 
down  almost  to  the  timid  creature,  as  she  circled 
nervously  about  the  rudder.  Little  by  little  the 
mermaid  quieted  down,  coming  nearer  and  nearer, 
as  if  almost  willing  to  return  the  doctor's  friendly 
greeting. 

At  length  she  came  very  near,  till  he  felt  her  warm 
breath  upon  his  face.  With  a  sudden  impulse  she 
raised  her  lithe  brown  body  half  out  of  water,  and 
shook  her  long  black  hair  from  her  lace  and  arms  : 
advancing  a  trifle  nearer,  she  raised  her  tiny  hands 
in  supplicating  attitude  almost  within  the  doctor's 


WOOING    THE    MERMAID.  271 

grasp,  repeating  her  pathetic  call  in  the  low,  warb 
ling  voice  of  a  sinking  bird. 

G  ~         O 

Like  a  timid  child,  Morete  seemed  coaxing  herself, 
little  by  little,  to  yield  to  the  proffered  endearments, 
till  fear  of  the  human  creature  above  her  almost 
went  out  of  her  soft  dark  eyes.  Almost  her  taper 
fingers  reached  the  doctor's  outstretched  hands, 
when  some  one  in  the  cabin  grasped  his  feet  and 
asked  : 

"  What's  up  there?"     It  was  the  captain. 

Answering  in  low,  quiet  tones,  Greville  begged 
the  captain  to  hold  fast  to  his  legs,  that  he  might 
reach  lower  down  from  the  window.  In  an  instant 
more  the  cold  tips  of  the  mermaid's  fingers  touched 
the  doctor's  warm  palm,  to  be  quickly  withdrawn 
again  and  again,  till  at  length  she  became  assured, 
and  her  two  pretty  hands  were  laid  willingly  in  the 
friendly  grasp  of  her  companion,  though  trembling 
with  an  unconquerable  fear. 

It  was  a  moment  of  intense  excitement  to  them 
both.  The  magnetic  thrills  of  the  one  ran  leaping 
through  the  frame  of  the  other ;  the  girl's  lips  paled 
and  reddened  in  quick  succession,  and  the  man's 
face  glowed  as  from  the  heat  of  a  furnace.  The 
tones  of  the  doctor's  cooing  words  charmed  the 
timid  creature,  till  her  eyes  brightened  and  grew 
languid  by  turns.  The  girl  answered  as  best  she 
could  in  broken  bird-notes,  in  evident  response  to 
his  endearments. 

When  Greville  drew  her  up  by  the  hands,  and  en- 


"272  THK    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

deavored  to  stroke  her  hair,  she  uttered  a  cry  of 
alarm,  and  tore  her  hands  from  his  grasp.  Swim 
ming  out  from  under  the  stern,  as  if  to  account  for 
the  noise  she  heard  on  deck,  she  came  slowly  and 
suspiciously  back,  and  suffered  the  doctor  to  retain 
her  hands  as  before. 

At  that  moment  a  lasso,  made  of  heavy  rope, 
came  thundering  down  upon  the  head  of  the  confid 
ing  creature,  flung  from  the  taftrail  above,  and 
pulled  up  with  a  jerk,  with  intention  of  catching 
the  girl  by  the  neck. 

Swift  as  the  nimblest  fish,  Morete  tore  away  from 
the  cruel  noose  and  dived  into  the  black  waters,  to 
l)e  seen  no  more.  The  brute  above  was  Tom  Craw 
ford.  Having  discovered  the  mermaid  by  her  out 
cry,  and  seen  her  swim  out  on  the  quarter,  there 
came  visions  of  Barnum  and  his  promised  gold. 

Quickly  knotting  a  running  bowline  with  the 
spanker  vang,  Tom  cast  his  noose  fairly  down  over 
the  head  of  the  girl,  hoping  to  lasso  the  amphibious 
creature,  and  make  her  his  lawful  prize.  The  cruel 
deed  was  well  executed,  but  the  agile  girl  slipped 
out  her  head,  and  Tom  caught  only  a  long  tress  of  her 
raven  hair,  four  feet  long,  and  soft  as  the  fairest 
lady's. 

Greville  drew  himself  quickly  in  through  the 
window,  frantic  with  rage,  and  sprang  out  upon 
deck,  more  deliberately  followed  by  the  captain, 
who  did  not  quite  understand  what  had  happened. 
Finding  Tom  unknotting  his  bowline,  and  deploring 


THE    ANGRY    MEDICO.  273 

his  lost  prize,  Greville  sprang  at  him,  and  collaring 
the  burly  sailor,  shook  him  as  a  weather  leech  is 
shaken  in  a  gale.  Had  his  strength  been  equal  to 
the  task  the  doctor  would  have  tumbled  the  aston 
ished  Tom  into  the  sea,  but  it  was  the  lithe,  springy 
tiger  assailing  an  elephant  —  and  bulk  prevailed. 

"Hello,  Doctor,  is  yer  moony,  mon?  It's  Tom 
yer's  fight  in' ;  him  you've  physicked  mony  ar  day 
wid  yer  blue-mass,  an'  yer  glaubers.  Hold  up,  I 
sez.  Hold  up,  Doc.  I'll  take  'nother  dose  o'  calo 
mel,  if  yer's  bent  on't.  Avast  there  !  keep  yer  top- 
mauls  quiet.  Don't  try  ter  plug  yer  best  friend. 
Blast  me,  but  ther  feller's  limey." 

And  Tom  grasped  his  assailant,  and  held  him 
harmlessly  out  at  arm's  length.  Finding  himself 
a  prisoner,  the  breathless  doctor  took  a  spell  with 
his  tongue  : 

"You  infernal  booby!  why  did  you  harm  that 
gentle  creature?" 

"Nuthin'  much,  Doc.  On'y  try  in'  ter  cotch  ar 
spec'min  fur  Barnum.  The  critter  would  show  well 
in  ar  museum  —  stuff 'er  out  wid  tan-bark,  yer  know." 

"You  stupid  monkey!  I'll  stuff  you  with  tan- 
bark.  If  you  throw  so  much  as  a  rope-yarn  at  her 
I'll  fling  a  harpoon  through  your  big  carcass,  and 
we'll  see  how  much  sheep's-oil  a  Nantucket  lubber 
will  try  out." 

"All  right,  Doc.  On'y  grease  yer  pot  wid  pork-fat, 
not  ter  hurt  ar  feller's  feelin's  by  singein'  ther  hide.'' 

"Tom,  you  ought  to  be  hanged  for  that  cruel  deed." 


274  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

"  Blast  my  toplights  !  Doc.,  am  yer  gitin'  sweet 
on  thet  fishy  critter?  Why,  mon,  I've  seen  do/ens 
on  uin  in  me  day,  an'  never  lost  me  'eart  ter  nary 
one  o'  ther  pretty  beasts." 

The  captain  here  stepped  to  the  front  and  ended 
the  fracas.  He  forbade  Tom  meddling  with  the 
mermaid  again,  and  ordered  him  off'  forward,  hav 
ing  deprived  him  of  the  much-prized  lock  of  hair, 
which  he  gave  to  the  doctor. 

After  Greville  cooled  down  a  little  he  related  to 
the  officers  —  who  had  all  been  roused  out  by  the 
rumpus  —  what  an  intimate  acquaintance  he  had 
succeeded  in  making  with  the  mermaid,  when  Tom 
flung  down  his  rough  rope  upon  her  head,  and 
probably  scared  her  oft*  for  good. 

In  the  morning,  a  few  hours  after  the  wrecking 
party  had  gone  to  their  work,  the  doctor  got  per 
mission  to  take  a  boat  and  crew  of  ship- keepers  for 
a  pull  round  to  the  windward  side  of  the  island,  to 
gather  shells.  Leaving  the  harbor,  he  coasted  the 
shore  to  the  east,  until  the  far-reaching  undulations 
began  to  break  heavily  upon  the  beach,  and  com 
pelled  him  to  laud. 

Hauling  the  boat  ashore  under  a  small  coral  pro 
jection,  the  doctor  led  the  men  along  the  narrow 
strip  of  coral  sand,  working  their  way  as  be>l  they 
could  under  the  boughs  of  the  dense  tropical  foliage, 
till  they  came  where  shells  and  other  marine,  curiosi 
ties  were  numerous.  Here  he  bade  the  seamen  seleH 
a  half  boat-load  of  conehs,  cowries  and  countless 


MORETE    FEEDING    FISHES.  275 

other  aquatic  beauties,  which  would  be  acceptable  to 
their  shipmates. 

Leaving  the  seamen  to  cull  the  rarest  from  a  beach 
three  feet  deep  with  broken  shells,  so  tumbled  and 
tossed  by  the  in-rolling  breakers,  and  transport  them 
to  the  boat,  he  wandered  away  to  the  extreme 
wsather  point. 

For  awhile  he  seated  himself  where  the  highest 
surf  dashed  grandly  in  and  breasted  back  the  tropi 
cal  growth,  leaving  a  fine  wide  beach  for  the  vast 
rollers  to  climb  and  gambol  upon,  and  almost  forgot 
time  and  space,  till  one  of  the  men  came  to  say  the 
boat  was  loaded. 

Greville  sent  the  man  back  to  his  companions,  and 
arose  to  follow,  when  he  was  tempted  to  look  beyond 
the  point.  He  found  that  the  heavy  breakers 
extended  a  mile  to  the  north,  but  there  was  a  break 
in  the  beach  where  a  small  embayed  cove  reached 
into  the  forest.  He  strode  on,  determined  to  explore 
the  quiet  nook,  and  his  ear  was  soon  greeted  with 
notes  of  song.  He  could  not  be  mistaken,  it  was 
the  voice  of  the  mermaid. 

Walking  carefully  on,  lest  his  noisy  footsteps 
among  the  shells  should  alarm  the  object  of  his  so 
licitude,  he  turned  a  massive  boulder  that  Neptune 
in  some  angry  mood  had  hurled  upon  the  shore,  and 
there  was  Morete.  The  girl  sat  to  her  waist  in  the 
water,  just  clear  of  the  spume  of  the  breakers,  feed 
ing  a  brood  of  small  fishes  with  a  banana  which  she 
picked  to  pieces  with  her  fingers. 


27(5 


THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 


The  sun  shone  hot  upon  the  shore,  but the  girl  sat 
in  the  shade  of  drooping  shrubs,  and  all  about  her 
hung  flowering  vines  that  trailed  down  almost  to  the 
water,  from  the  out-bending  trees.  Taking  off  his 
shoes,  to  approach  as  near  as  he  could,  Greville  cau 
tiously  skirted  the  cove  until  lie  stood  among  the 
blossoming  shrubs  just  behind  the  mermaid. 

Watching  her  for  awhile,  interested  in  the  girl's 
pantomimic  sport  with  the  fishes,  some  of  which  she 
scooped  up  in  her  hand,  singing  to  the  tiny  creatures 
with  her  head  swaying  to  and  fro,  as  a  child  perks 
and  plays  with  her  doll,   the  doctor  could  hardly 
restrain  himself  from  making  known  his  presence. 
But  he  was  spying  upon  one  of  ocean's    strangest 
anomalies,  and  the  naturalists  of  the  world  would 
expect  him  to  make  the  best  use  of  his  opportunities. 
Dozens  of  her  finny  playmates  sported  with  her 
hair  and  made  merry  pastime.     Seizing  upon  a  stray 
lock,   or  a  single  fibre,  they  swam  swiftly  to  the 
limit  of  the  lock,  then  shook  the  shining  textile  and 
leaped    and    floundered    with     all    the    mimicry   of 
children  at  play.     Morete  watched  them,  and  with 
her  slender  fingers  combed  out  her  black  masses  and 
spread  it  thin  upon  the  water  for  yet  other  sportive 
fishes  to  toy  with. 

The  noontide  sun  mounted  high  in  the  heavens, 
and  the  men  beginning  to  hunger  for  their  mid-da  v 
meal  came  in  search  of  the  doctor,  and  discovered 
the  mermaid. 

''Heave  ahead  there,  me  hearties!     Here's  thcr 


IN   THE    BREAKERS.  277 

marmaid,"  cried  the  foremost  to  his  straggling  com 
panions. 

The  sea-girl  shot  forth  into  the  breakers  like  a 
startled  fawn.  Without  an  instant's  hesitation,  she 
dived  into  the  great  roaring  surf  about  to  break 
upon  the  shore,  and  reappeared  beyond  the  three 
inner  rollers,  faced  about  to  contemplate  the  in 
truders. 

The  men  gathered  about  the  doctor,  on  the  near 
est  point,  to  watch  the  graceful  creature  frolic 
among  the  rollers.  Diving  under  the  incoming 
surf,  the  girl  worked  her  way  far  out  to  the  outer 
most  breaker.  Watching  for  a  big  comber,  she 
awaited  its  coming,  and  let  it  grapple  her  girlish 

form  in  its  foaming  arms  and  bear  her  shoreward  on 

~ 

its  topmost  crest  till  very  near  in  to  the  beach,  and 
the  men  would  spring  up  to  intercept  he:1;  then 
she  dipped  down  under  the  breaking  surf  and  let 
the  undertow  sweep  her  seaward,  as  before.  It  was 
a  pleasing  sight,  showing  the  completest  mastery 
over  the  wild  waves. 

At  length  they  returned  to  the  boat,  and  pulled 
for  the  ship.  Captain  Lawrence  expressed  great  in 
terest  in  the  doctor's  description  of  the  mermaid, 
and  her  pretty  pastime  with  the  fishes.  It  was 
agreed  that  the  men  should  not  again  intrude  upon 
her  haunts,  and  that  the  doctor  should  hereafter 
have  every  facility  to  perfect  his  acquaintance,  and 
capture  her  alive  if  he  could. 


CHAPTER  XXY. 

SEARCHING    FOR    GOLD. 

WHEN  Bray  brook  began  clearing  away  the  for 
est  about  the  wreck,  he  purposely  left  a  tall 
palm-tree  growing  on  each  side  of  the  old  galleon 
from  which  to  suspend  a  pendant  to  hoist  packages 
from  the  hold.  It  now  became  necessary  to  bring 
the  tops  of  the  t-wo  trees  together  for  the  purpose 
above  mentioned. 

The  trees  were  eighty  feet  high,  and  an  agile 
Kanaka  was  wanted  to  climb  their  slim  trunks. 
But  Prince  John,  the  captain's  boat  steerer,  had  not 
wholly  recovered  from  the  wounds  inflicted  by 
Mocha  Dick,  and  the  best  substitutes  were  two  lit  lie 
sailor  lads  from  among  the  crew.  After  a  hard 
climb  the  boys  attached  a  strong  tail-block  to  the 
top  of  each  tree;  through  these  blocks  light  ropes 
were  rove,  as  leaders,  by  which  a  large  two-inch 
rope  could  be  drawn  up,  sufficiently  strong  to  sus 
tain  a  pendant. 

After  knotting  the  rope  around  the  top  of  the 
starboard  tree,  just  under  the  dense  growth  of  cocoa- 

[278] 


WRECKING    THE    GALLEON.  279 

nuts  and  leaves,  and  reeving  it  through  the  eye  of  a 
sixty-foot  pendant,  the  rope  was  rove  through  the 
port  tail-block,  and  the  tops  of  the  two  trees  were 
bowsed  nearly  together.  A  massive  tackle  was 
hooked  to  the  pendant  and  made  to  hang  plumb 
over  the  hold,  or  it  could  be  guyed  out  so  as  to 
lower  heavy  packages  into  a  boat  alongside. 

By  the  aid  of  this  powerful  purchase,  what  re 
mained  of  the  fossilized  deck  was  soon  torn  up  as 
far  aft  as  the  heavy  bulkhead  that  separated  the 
vessel's  run  from  the  main  hold.  The  captain's 
order  was  to  break  out  and  examine  every  package 
in  the  hold  before  breaking  into  the  bulkhead. 
With  ten  feet  of  water  in  the  hold  this  was  no  easy 
task,  as  every  cask  was  encased  in  stone,  and  very 
heavy  to  hoist ;  and  sometimes  several  casks  were 
grown  together  in  one  coral  covering. 

The  remaining  casks  were  all  Spanish-made  wine 
tierces.  The  lower  tiers,  having  probably  been 
filled  with  fresh  water  for  ship's  use,  had  rotted 
entirely  away,  the  only  trace  of  them  being  many 
hoops,  without  staves,  and  only  now  and  then  a 
cask-head,  made  of  some  wood  of  great  preservative 
power  —  a  kind  of  pine  full  of  pitch. 

Some  of  the  wine-casks  were  still  in  good  state  of 
preservation.  They  were  crystallized  within  and 
without,  with  from  one  to  three  inches  of  coral.  It 
was  difficult  to  tell  what  the  original  lading  of  the 
old  argosy  had  been.  Every  cask  now  found  was 
full  of  water.  The  water  in  the  wine-casks  wras  clear, 


280  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

while  the  contents  of  other  casks  had  rotted  into  a 
slimy  pulp  and  become  petrified.  None  of  the  casks 
could  be  hooked  to  with  canhooks,  they  were  so 
encased  in  coral,  and  it  was  laborious  work  to  sling 
everything  for  hoisting. 

The  hold  contained  hundreds  of  blind  fishes,  piti 
ful  objects,  with  their  white  and  sightless  eyes,  caused 
by  being  immured  in  total  darkness.  Straying  into 
the  hold  through  some  small  chinks  in  the  stoven 
bottom,  they  delayed  returning  until  they  grew  too 
large  for  egress.  In  places  where  the  bottom  had 
been  wholly  crushed  out  at  the  time  of  wrecking, 
stout  coral  trees  had  been  built  up  in  the  hold  ten 
feet  high.  These  growths  conformed  to  every  curve 
and  angle  of  the  vessel's  side,  adapted  their  growth 
to  the  deck-timbers,  and  built  around  the  stump  of 
the  mainmast. 

At  the  end  of  eight  days'  labor  the  casks  and 
fossilized  lumber  were  mostly  removed  from  the 
hold,  and  Bray  brook  announced  that  on  the  follow 
ing  day,  as  soon  as  he  could  construct  a  raft  to  work 
on,  he  would  break  into  the  bulkhead.  As  the  run 
under  the  cabins  could  be  but  a  small  place,  and  was 
usually  stowed  with  small-stores  and  various  niceties 
for  the  cabin  people,  the  mate  had  not  a  particle  of 
hope  of  finding  treasure  there. 

In  the  dog-watch  that  evening  P»ravbn>ok  ox- 
pressed  a  little  more  discouragement  than  usual. 
Perhaps  because  he  was  very  tired  with  his  long 
day's  excitement,  or  he  might  have  wished  to  entice 


"  DURNED    OLD    RAT-TRAP." 

Joe  Bailey  into  a  renewal  of  his  exhilarating  proph 
ecy,  which  the  grim  old  seer  now  proclaimed  more 
strenuously  than  ever.  It  needed  but  an  aggressive 
word  from  the  mate  to  start  him  oil'  on  the  topic. 

"  I'm  'bout  ready  to  give  up  my  shore-job  to  you, 
Mr.  Bailey." 

"  Doan  yer  kick  de  bucket  jes  yit,  Misser  Bray- 
bruc.  Dem  yere  yaller  fellers  be  dar,  sah,  no  'stake 
'bout  um." 

"  All  bosh.  What  new  evidence  have  you  got  to 
prate  about?" 

"  Hiah  !  new  yevidenc',  ha?  Why,  sah,  de  gude 
Lawd  bin  heah  dis  chile's  pray'r  on  de  Bird's  Nest  las' 
nite,  an'  ebbry  t'ing  yam  all  clar  now.  An'  mo'n  all 
dat,  sah,  butiful  spir'ts  hubbcr  roun'  Joe  Bailey  in 
de  wissons  ob  de  nite,  an'  it  wuz  gibbin  ter  dis  po' 
sinner  ter  hike  inter  de  bow'ls  ol)  de  yearth.  An' 
dis  niggar's  one  peeper  pupertrates  inter  de  hole  ob 
dat  ole  cat'maran  an'  seed  tie  gole,  an'  de  silber,  an' 
de  bigyimages,  cubber'd  all  oberwidgems  dat  shine 
like  de  stars  in  de  heaben." 

"  The  devil  you  did  !  I  tell  you,  Uncle  Joe,  there 
ain't  a  thing  worth  a  copper  in  the  hold  of  that 
durncd  old  rat-trap." 

"  Tut,  tut,  sah,  dish  yere  chile  duzn't  sail  yunder 
dose  cullers.  I'se  dc  Lawd's  niggar,  brudder  Bray- 
bruc.  I'se  abscond  dat  ole  ebii  pussen,  eber  since 
Mad  Dick  put  dese  yere  kinks  inter  my  walkers. 
So  doan  yo'  go  fo'  ter  disrespec'  Gawd  A'mighty 
dis 


282  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

"Ah,  well,  Uncle  Joe,  we'll  see  by  to-morrow 
night ;  we'll  know  then  whose  colors  you  sail  under 
-the  Lord's  or  the  devil's.  There's  nothing  for'ard 
of  the  bulkhead,  and  I'll  smash  into  that  soon  as  I 
can  build  a  raft ;  and  if  we  find  treasure  I'll  study  to 
be  a  nigger  parson  for  a  nigger  church  ;  but  if  we 
don't  find  anything,  we'll  all  know  that  Satan's  got 
his  weather  paw  on  you,  Joe  Bailey." 

"  Mussy  seks,  brudder  Braybruc  !  I'se  feard  yo's 
too  tuf  ar  subjic  ter  preach  de  gawspel.  'Cause 
'tain't  gole  dat  sabes  de  wick'd  pussens.  An'  I  spec 
yo'  rudder  hab  de  gole  dan  de  glory,  sail." 

But  the  mate  had  had  his  say,  and  he  smoked  his 
pipe  in  silence,  too  much  wrought  up  to  discuss  the 
subject  calmly  with  any  one.  Uncle  Joe  went  to  his 
stateroom  to  pray  for  his  white  brother,  for  whose 
redemption  he  would  have  given  his  right  hand. 

Late  in  the  afternoon  of  the  following  day,  after  a 
substantial  raft  had  been  constructed  to  serve  as 
staging  for  the  workmen,  picks,  axes  and  crow-bars 
were  vigorously  plied  against  the  stone-covered 
bulkhead  that  extended  across  the  after-hold. 

It  was  nearly  dark  before  an  opening  could  be 
made  to  let  daylight  through  the  planking  sufficiently 
for  the  mate  to  determine  that  the  whole  run  was 
closely  stowed  with  casks  and  boxes,  which  looked 
very  much  like  finding  something  of  value. 

The  top  tiers,  being  wholly  out  of  water,  were  less 
thickly  covered  with  coral  than  the  forward  cargo 
had  been.  After  the  men  had  been  permitted  to 


THE    LONG-BURIED    TREASURE.  283 

take  a  moment's  look  at  the  compact  mass  through 
the  small  opening,  Tom,  Buntline  and  English  Bill 
were  ordered  to  hew  away  lustily. 

Ingress  was  soon  made  large  enough  for  one  of 
the  small,  oblong  boxes  to  be  pried  up,  roused  out  on 
the  raft,  and  hoisted  to  the  poop-deck.  The  box  was 
strongly  bound  with  wooden  hoops.  The  mate 
seized  an  axe,  and  with  hasty  blows  soon  demolished 
the  coral  covering,  cut  the  hoops  and  broke  open  the 
box  ;  there,  to  the  joy  of  all,  was  the  long-buried 
treasure. 

Braybrook  had  opened  into  a  box  of  silver  ingots, 
but  they  were  too  tarnished  and  black  to  impress 
the  crew  with  their  value.  A  larger  box  of  another 
shape  from  the  next  tier  had  been  broken  out  in  the 
meantime,  and  was  now  ready  to  be  hoisted  from  the 
raft.  This  box  was  so  heavy  that  it  tipped  the  raft, 
and  made  the  workmen  in  a  hurry  to  have  it  hoisted 
on  deck  before  it  found  its  way  to  the  bottom  of  the 
hold. 

Frantic  hands  grappled  the  tackle  soon  as  the 
sling  could  be  adjusted,  and  landed  the  big  package 
on  the  poop.  Axes  were  applied  to  the  coral  shell, 
the  rough  oaken  hoops  were  cut,  and  the  cover 
knocked  off.  The  case  was  found  packed  with  gold 
plate  and  rare  service  for  cathedral  use,  sufficient  to 
make  every  eye  luminous  with  delight. 

A  wild  shout  rang  out  over  the  harbor  and  echoed 
through  the  forest,  as  if  a  hundred  madmen  had 
broken  bounds.  It  was  a  shout  that  interpreted  an 


284  TIIK     ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

insai  c  joy  to  their  shipmates  on  board,  for  when 
Bray  brook  ran  to  the  bay-shore  to  hail  the  captain, 
he  found  Captain  Lawrence  and  Uncle  Joe  were 
already  clambering  down  into  the  boat  alongside, 
coming  ashore  to  inspect  for  themselves. 

Thousands  of  startled  birds  gathered  about  the 
tree-tops,  twittering  and  perking,  and  stretching 
their  necks  from  the  overhanging  boughs.  Parrots 
and  paroquets  came  fluttering  in  flocks  over  the 
wreck,  screeching  their  discordant  cries,  till  the 
very  air  was  filled  with  crimson  and  green. 

Even  the  gayly-plumed  paradise  birds  forgot  their 
stateliness,  and  hastily  peopled  the  tall  palms,  blend 
ing  their  senseless  squawk  with  the  wild  jubilations 
of  the  crew.  Countless  other  small  birds  came 
straggling  to  the  rescue,  from  the  deep  forest,  glint 
ing  every  green  twig  and  swaying  bough  with  flash 
ing  plumage  of  crimson  and  gold. 

The  delirious  joy  of  that  hour  may  not  be  told,  it 
can  only  be  lived  and  felt  by  its  participants.  The 
wild  ecstasy  of  a  rover  among  new-found  treasure 
has  no  synonym  for  its  delight.  There  was  now  no 
doubt  but  the  long-buried  wreck  was  the  Spanish 
galleon  "Florida,"  and  its  discovery  would  become 
a  matter  of  historical  interest  to  the  world.  II<-r 
mysterious  disappearance  had  interested  two  genera 
tions  of  ancient  mariners  to  keep  up  a  never-ending 
search,  and  now  the  very  novelty  of  her  discovery 
would  be  looked  upon  as  an  almost  providential 
occurrence. 


INGOTS    OF    SILVER    AND    GOLD.  285 

Very  brief  was  the  evening  gossip  of  that  event 
ful  day.  All  hands  had  lingered  so  long  about  the 
wreck  that  it  was  past  the  dog-watch  hours  before 
supper  was  eaten.  And  as  orders  were  passed  for 
an  early  breakfast,  so  that  the  men  could  be  at  work 
at  break  of  day,  all  the  working  hands  were  piped 
down  to  their  berths  for  a  full  night's  sleep, —  the 
ship-keepers  being  ordered  to  stand  the  night- 
watches. 

During  the  tenth  day  the  wreckers  succeeded  in 
breaking  out  nearly  a  million  dollars'  worth  of  gold 
and  silver,  and  that  too  without  making  much  of  a 
hole  in  the  great  storehouse  of  treasure.  The  raft 
had  to  be  made  much  more  substantial  to  sustain 
the  packages,  as  the 'deeper  tiers  were  more  heavily 
encased  in  coral  than  those  above  the  surface. 

Most  of  the  small  boxes  were  found  full  of  silver 
bars,  though  nearly  a  hundred  of  them  contained 
gold  ingots  of  the  purest  virgin  ore.  These  ingots, 
of  both  gold  and  silver,  were  probably  designed  for 
the  government  mint  at  Manila,  which,  in  those 
years,  coined  for  all  the  Indian  possessions  of  Spain, 
and  in  fact  furnished  the  coin  for  more  than  half  of 
the  commercial  world. 

The  men  soon  came  to  easily  distinguish  the 
Spanish  marks  on  the  boxes,  after  the  coral  crusting 
was  removed,  so  as  to  know  at  sight  whether  the 
contents  were  silver  or  gold.  There  soon  came  to 
be  such  sameness  about  the  small,  oblong  boxes  that 
all  interest  in  them  subsided.  But  the  curiositv  of 


28(3  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

all  was  at  the  topmost  pitch  to  break  into  the  large, 
heavy  cases,  as  many  of  these  contained  richly- 
chased  services  of  gold,  and  images  of  the  Saviour 
and  apostles,  constructed  for  some  vast  cathedral. 
Some  of  the  golden  images  were  more  than  life-si/e, 
and  were  a  fortune  in  themselves.  Some  of  the 
largest  and  less  weighty  cases  were  packed  with 
chalices,  ewers,  and  massive  candlesticks,  with 
costly  fixtures  decorated  with  gems.  Several  cases 
were  filled  with  crosses,  inlaid  or  plain,  but  all 
wrought  of  pure  gold,  and  of  great  value.  No  wonder 
that  curiosity  ran  high  while  unearthing  such  wealth, 
after  it  had  lain  entombed  in  this  subterranean  cav 
ern  for  three  and  a  quarter  centuries. 

Fast  as  the  packages  were  opened  and  their  con 
tents  explored,  the  carpenter  nailed  on  the  covers 
and  the  cases  were  piled  upon  the  poop  to  be  dried 
in  the  sun.  In  the  meantime  careful  prepara 
tions  were  required  for  transshipping  such  weighty 
treasure.  Two  of  the  stoutest  boats  were  selected 
and  lashed  side  by  side,  with  studding-sail  booms 
across  their  gunwales,  on  which  was  built  a  broad 
platform,  the  best  possible  safeguard  against  cap- 


CHAPTER   XXVI. 

A    NIGHT    WITH    THE    MERMAID. 

WHILE  the  crew  had  been  kept  to  their  daily 
search  for  treasure  in  the  past  week,  Gre- 
ville  had  been  persistently  seeking  another  interview 
with  the  mermaid,  in  whom  he  hourly  became  more 
interested.  While  aboard  ship,  the  doctor  kept  vig 
ilant  watch  about  the  bay,  and  he  had  twice  worked 
his  way  along  the  shore  from  the  wreck  to  the  point. 
The  ardent  man  still  believed  that  with  fair  op 
portunity  he  could  win  the  sea-girl's  confidence,  and 
in  the  end  might  succeed  in  taking  her  on  board  un 
harmed.  Being  a  fine  linguist,  he  aspired  to  yet 
being  able  to  interpret  the  mermaid's  aqueous  ver 
nacular,  which  certainly  possessed  some  very  human 
articulations. 

If  he  succeeded  in  this,  what  wealth  of  sea-lore 
would  be  revealed  to  the  world  from  regions  wholly 
unexplored.  So  greatly  was  the  doctor  permeated 
with  this  idea,  that  if  Captain  Lawrence  would 
promise  to  return  for  him  at  the  end  of  a  year's 
cruise,  he  had  determined  to  remain  on  the  island 

[287] 


288  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

and  secure  the  mermaid.  Failing  in  that  plan,  it 
had  become  a  question  if  Agassi/,  who  was  his 
father's  friend,  would  not  willingly  be  at  the  ex 
pense  of  sending  for  him,  in  consideration  of  the 
wonderful  knowledge  of  submarine  species  he  would 
be  able  to  impart. 

Revolving  these  problems  in  his  mind,  for  the 
fourth  time  the  doctor  wandered  round  to  the  east 
point  in  search  of  the  mermaid.  The  afternoon  was 
hot,  almost  unendurable  where  the  beach  was  ex 
posed  to  the  sun,  and  great  was  Greville's  relief 
when  he  at  length  seated  himself  in  the  cool  shade 
of  the  palms,  facing  the  sea-breeze  and  the  surf. 
Sitting  there  with  his  back  to  the  great  white 
boulder,  which  was  his  mark  for  Morete's  swimming 
place,  he  began  his  eager  watch. 

Hours  passed,  and  the  brooding  man  still  lay  rapt 
in  pleasant  reveries,  lulled  by  the  murmur  of  the 
brisk  trades  in  the  swaying  trees,  and  listening  to 
the  sjrand  old  anthem  of  the  in-rolling  breakers, 

O 

whose  humid  breath  fanned  his  hot  face.  The  even 
ing  hour  approached,  and  yet  Greville  forbore  to 
Avend  his  way  back  to  the  ship. 

The  long  watch  at  length  became  distasteful,  and 
he  sprang  up  to  stretch  himself.  Looking  about  for 
something  to  quench  his  thirst,  he  stepped  aside 
among  a  cluster  of  orange  trees  and  sought  the  re 
freshment  he  required.  Wandering  about  from  tree 
to  tree,  Greville  was  surprised  to  discover  a  sharp- 
pointed  paddle,  with  richly-carved  handle  of  koa 


MORETE'S  VESPER-SONG.  289 

wood ;  this  he  secured  as  a  trophy.  Not  far  from 
the  paddle  lay  scattered  the  complete  wreck  of  a 
small  canoe.  Here  was  the  only  evidence  of  man's 
handiwork  yet  found  upon  the  island. 

Looking  closely  about  him,  Greville  became  con 
vinced  that  he  stood  upon  a  spot  much  frequented 
by  the  mermaid.  Culled  flowers  were  strewn  about, 
and  decayed  wreaths  of  crimson  hibiscus  and  golden 
jasmine  blossoms  were  everywhere  to  be  seen. 
Here  was  a  pretty  mound  of  sea-shells,  built  by 
some  intelligent  hand ;  there  a  circular  enclosure 
made  of  various  colored  pebbles,  built  about  what 
seemed  meant  for  an  image  in  human  shape.  Was 
the  sea-girl  trying  to  imitate  the  men  who  had 
startled  her  from  her  covert  the  week  before? 

If  the  doctor  had  risen  with  the  intention  of  going 
t3  the  ship,  he  now  changed  his  mind  and  seated 
himself  against  the  cradle-shaped  roots  of  a  palm. 
As  the  twilight  approached,  the  woods  resounded 
with  bird-song,  and  the  wind  and  the  waves  were  fast 
subsiding.  While  he  sat  listening  to  the  blended 

o  o 

harmonies  of  the  dying  trades  and  the  subdued  sym 
phonies  of  the  sea,  Greville  was  startled  by  hearing 
low,  sad  notes  of  another  kind,  joining  with  perfect 
cadence  in  the  mournful  monotone  of  surf  and  wind. 
At  first  thought,  the  strange  melody  seemed  pos 
sibly  the  vesper-song  of  some  far-off  bird  in  the 
forest,  but  after  closer  inspection,  the  mellow  strains 
were  found  to  rise  and  fall  with  the  ever-changing 
sea-dirii'e,  and  could  not  be  so  construed. 


TUP]    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

Presently  the  melodious  voice  began  to  grow 
nearer  and  nearer,  filling  the  air  like  the  hum  of  an 
approaching  bee,  but  still  lifting  and  lowering  its 
tones  to  the  rise  and  fall  of  the  in-rolling  surf.  After 
a  while  the  mysterious  singer  forgot  to  follow  the 
roar  of  the  wailing  waters,  singing  a  low,  sad  rhap 
sody,  some  sudden  uprising  of  grief  that  brought 
tears  to  the  eyes  of  the  listener. 

It  was  now  certain  that  the  grief-stricken  song 
came  from  Morete,  but  where  the  wailing  sea-<rirl 
could  be  .secreted  was  difficult  to  discover.  Some 
times  the  listener  leaned  his  ear  to  the  ocean,  fully 
expecting  to  behold  the  water-witch  grottoed  under 
the  arching  crests  of  the  towering  breakers.  Airain 
the  clear  bird-notes  came  welling  out  from  the 
drooping  palm  fronds,  but  this  also  proved  a  delu 
sion. 

At  times  the  shifting  cadence  came  fluttering  down 
from  a  passing  trade-cloud,  flying  low  upon  languid 
wings,  but  the  cloud  tarried  just  long  enough  to 
scatter  its  raindrops,  and  winged  softly  away  to  the 
west,  proffering  its  moist  blessings  unto  the  verdure 
of  other  isles.  Thus  the  twilight  closed  down  upon 
the  half-dazed  man,  who  still  watched  and  waited, 
and  gave  himself  up,  body  and  soul,  to  mastering  the 
mystery. 

After  the  sun  went  down  the  song  notes  died 
wholly  away.  Presently  Greville  heard  a  quirk 
rustling  among  dry  leaves  that  <|iiite  startled  him,  in 
the  gathering  gloom.  Catching  the  direction  of  the 


DISCOVERS    THE    MERMAID.  291 

sound,  he  discovered  the  mermaid  descending  from 
the  top  of  a  dead  palm-tree,  a  tree  with  sere  fronds 
and  a  bent  trunk,  leaning  far  out  over  the  water. 

Greville  could  only  distinguish  the  outline  of  the 
girl's  form  in  the  dusk.  He  could  just  follow  the 
clasped  hands  as  they  dropped  from  ridge  to  ridge 
on  the  slim  trunk  of  the  beaded  tree  ;  could  dimly 
see  the  lower  extremity  of  the  agile  creature  cling  to 
the  trunk  while  the  hands  were  shifting  their  hold, 
and  then  observe  the  pliant  tail  leap  backward  for 
another  foothold  below. 

When  the  mermaid  reached  the  ground,  instead  of 
crawling  upon  her  belly,  —  as  the  doctor  looked  to 
see  her  do,  —  strange  to  say  she  kept  an  upright 
position  and  moved  gracefully  along  over  the  coral 
sand  to  the  great  boulder,  seating  herself  where  Gre 
ville  sat  when  he  first  came  from  the  ship. 

Leaving  the  timid  creature  to  a  few  minutes'  quiet, 
the  doctor  then  ventured  to  call  to  her,  making  use 
of  the  girl's  own  euphonious  appeal  :  "  Morete  ! "  and 
speaking  in  low,  soft  tones,  not  to  frighten  her. 
With  the  bound  of  a  bird  taking  wing  the  startled 
girl  sprang  upright,  ready  to  ily,  but  stood  trem 
bling,  in  pose  showing  the  keenest  alarm. 

Flinging  back  her  long  hair  from  her  face,  she 
stood  looking  and  listening,  irresolute  how  to  act ; 
first  peering  back  into  the  forest  gloom,  and  then 
into  the  in-rolling  surf,  for  echo  had  so  multiplied 
the  ghostly  voice  that  she  knew  not  which  way  to 
flee. 


2(J2  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

Not  hearing  the  voice  repeated,  the  girl  began  to 
doubt  her  own  ears,  and  soon  quieted  herself  and 
climbed  to  the  top  of  the  big  boulder,  seating  her 
self  as  if  nothing  had  alarmed  her.  She  wondered 
at  her  own  delusion,  and  in  apparent  ridicule  of  her 
fears  she  began  to  repeat  the  doctor's  call,  mimick 
ing  the  ghostly  tones  of  the  sweet  refrain  :  "  Morete  ! 
Morete  ! :  -  seeking  to  reassure  herself  that  there 
was  no  real  danger. 

Greville  again  ventured  to  repeat  the  call,  lest  it 
should  become  too  dark  for  her  to  see  who  he  was. 
As  Morete  sprang  down  from  the  rock  the  doctor 
advanced  slowly  toward  her,  speaking  quietly  in 
most  winsome  voice,  and  extending  his  hand  in  wel 
come,  as  he  had  previously  done  from  the  cabin 
window. 

Morete  seemed  to  recognize  the  doctor  at  once, 
and  though  she  stood  in  the  act  of  springing  awav, 
she  did  not  run.  The  girl's  hesitation  showed  a  wish 
for  companionship ;  but  such  was  her  dread  of 
peril  —  after  her  rude  treatment  in  the  bay  —  that 
Greville  was  in  doubt  whether  she  would  stay  or  11  v, 
if  he  took  another  step. 

But  darkness  was  already  upon  them  and  he  could 
barely  see  her  outline  from  where  he  stood.  He 
advanced  quietly,  step  by  step,  with  proffered  hands 
and  gentle  words  of  endearment,  and  made  the 
attempt  to  reach  her.  The  girl  did  not  move  from 
her  position.  He  approached  near  enough  to  see 
that  she  stood  with  raised,  clasped  hands,  in  attitude 


THE    TERRIFIED    SEA-GIRL.  293 

of  fear  and  supplication.  The  terrified  creature  Avas 
trembling  so  that  he  could  hear  her  shake.  Her 
breath,  which  had  come  quick  and  hard,  now  ceased, 
as  if  she  had  lost  the  power  of  respiration. 

Continuing  to  advance,  Greville's  soft  words  and 
magnetic  voice  served  to  delay  the  doubting  creat 
ure,  till  his  outstretched  hand  touched  the  soft 
shoulder  seen  protruding  through  her  silken  tresses. 
Shrinking  back  repeatedly  from  his  first  touches, 
while  successive  shudders  ran  through  her  lithe 
frame,  the  agitated  creature  hesitated  between  hopes 
and  fears,  —  as  the  lonely  flower  shrinks  from  the 
first  touch  of  the  summer  breeze. 

The    bewildered    girl    was    momentarily   growinff 

C5  */         C  O 

more  approachable.  Thus  assured,  Greville  reached 
and  took  her  dainty  hands  in  his.  Though  she 
yielded  to  his  magnetic  touch,  and  rendered  herself 
a  willing  captive,  yet  it  was  with  mingled  emotions, 
—  part  pleasure  and  part  fear,  —  for  her  eyes  shone 
lustrous  through  the  darkness,  and  her  hot  breath 
now  beat  quick  upon  the  face  of  her  trusted  com 
panion. 

When  Greville  saw  that  Morete  had  gained  suffi 
cient  control  over  her  alarm,  he  drew  her  gently 
down  to  a  seat  in  the  grass,  where  they  could  lean 
restfully  against  the  boulder.  It  was  not  long 
before  the  girl's  rapid  breathing  abated  its  turbu 
lence,  and  her  young  heart  grew  less  tumultuous  ; 
until  she  stilled  down  its  wild  rapture  and  her  heav 
ing  bosom  lay  gently  palpitating  against  her  com- 


294  THE    ISLE    OF    1'ALMS. 

panion's.  Gradually  her  trembling  hands  grew  still 
within  his  grasp  ;  then  her  wide  eyes  slowly  relaxed 
their  staring  tension,  till,  at  length,  he  felt  her  long 
lashes  winking  confidingly  against  his  cheek,  and  he 
knew  that  she  had  given  herself  into  his  keeping,  as 
a  human  maiden  yields  to  the  wooing  of  a  favored 
lover. 

With  what  searching  scrutiny  had  the  keen-eyed 
man  of  science  noted  every  rising  emotion  and  abat 
ing  fear  in  this  untutored  habitant  of  the  sea.  What 
was  his  surprise  to  observe  how  human-like  were  her 
actions.  With  what  girlish  avidity  she  accepted  his 
endearments,  and  hastened  to  recompense  him  in 
return  by  twining  her  arms  about  him  and  laying  her 
cheek  lovingly  to  his,  as  every  virile  thing  in  nature 
—  from  the  whale  to  the  minnow  —  has  a  propensity 
for  doing. 

Thus  these  two  remote  types  of  being  sat  there  in 
the  night-gloom  beneath  the  sighing  palms,  clinging 
to  each  other  like  a  pair  of  human  lovers,  with  only 
the  in-rolling  breakers  and  the  starry  sky  for  com 
panionship.  Little  by  little  the  magnetic  power 
of  the  man  Avon  upon  the  pretty  sea-girl,  till  every 
vestige  of  fear  forsook  her,  and  her  beating  heart 
throbbed  in  unison  with  his  own. 

The  mermaid  seemed  gifted  with  a  power  of  seeing 
in  the  dark,  and  with  curiosity  almost  e<jual  to  a 
human  maiden's  she  soon  fell  to  investigating  every 
part  of  her  companion  ;  for  he  was  a  strange,  new 
specimen  with  which  she  was  not  familiar.  Peering 


MUTUAL    INSPECTION.  295 

lovingly  into  his  eyes,  to  observe  if  it  annoyed  him, 
she  ran  her  taper  fingers  through  his  hair,  stroked 
his  beard  and  looked  through  the  opening  of  his 
gaping  shirt,  greatly  pleased  with  the  white  skin  of 
the  neck  and  chest ;  ever  murmuring  little  outbursts 
of  admiration  over  what  she  felt  and  saw,  in  her 
strange,  sweet  jangle  of  unknown  utterances.  Why 
her  companion  sought  to  hide  his  soft  white  skin  in 
clothing  she  could  not  understand,  while  she  found 
even  her  raven  tresses  quite  bothersome  when  swim 
ming. 

Thus  prompted  by  her  initiative,  the  doctor  pro 
ceeded  to  partially  examine  the  piscatorial  forma 
tion  of  his  companion.  He  found  nothing  in  the 
least  piscine  about  the  upper  part  of  her  body,  f oi 
lier  flesh  there  was  in  no  way  different  from  his  own. 
She  evidently  had  a  large  pair  of  lungs,  and  made 
full  use  of  them.  The  heart  was  strong  and  roomy, 
and  beat  with  great  vigor  ;  both  the  circulation  and 
respiration  were  powerful,  though  a  trifle  more 
accelerated  than  in  the  human  species. 

Just  how  the  little  water-girl  could  suspend  res 
piration,  and  remain  under  water  at  her  pleasure, 
even  this  man  of  science  could  not  detect.  He  could 
only  surmise  that  the  foramen  ovale  of  the  heart 
must  remain  open  at  such  times,  with  the  power  to 
subsequently  close  the  orifice  when  making  full  use 
of  the  lungs.  This  point,  of  such  great  interest  to 
physiologists,  could  only  be  determined  by  an  exami 
nation  while  under  water,  or  by  a  post-mortem  dis 
section. 


2i)()  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

Having  satisfied  himself  beyond  doubt  that  Mo 
rete's  body  and  bust  were  soft-skinned  as  a  child's, 
and  as  shapely  in  every  line  and  lineament  as  the 
Venus  of  old,  the  doctor's  curiosity  now  impelled 
him  to  thoroughly  examine  the  fish  part  of  the  girl's 
caudal  extremity.  While  sitting  there  through  the 
long  night  hours  Morete's  tail-part  was  under  and 
behind  her.  Greville  had  frequently  heard  the  pedal 
appendage  thrashing  nervously  about  in  the  grass, 
and  mentally  pictured  a  pair  of  flukes  like  those  of  a 
porpoise. 

Disenira^in^  the   arm  that  was   about  her  waist 

O      O         O 

from  the  massive  tangle  of  her  hair,  Greville  reached 
back  to  explore  for  the  flukes.  The  only  caudal 
member  found  within  easy  reach  was  smooth  and 
flesh-like,  not  larger  than  a  plump  person's  leg. 
Exploring  further,  — far  as  he  could  reach,  with  the 
girl  lying  upon  his  breast,  —  great  was  his  surprise 
to  find  what  seemed  to  be  a  veritable  foot,  a  fleshy 
extremity  having  five  toes  like  his  own. 

Greville's  touch  upon  her  caudal  part  greatly 
annoyed  or  tickled  the  water-girl,  and  she  uttered 
an  exclamation  of  impatience,  which  led  him  to 
desist  importuning  her  for  the  time.  How  fast  the 
mystery  deepened  !  Greville  sat  there,  dazed  with 
the  strange  partial  discovery  he  had  made.  Where 
was  the  usual  tapering  appendage,  of  a  mermaid? 
Was  it- possible  that  Morete's  tail  terminated  in  a 
single  foot?  Or  were  there  two  feet  appended  to 
one  extremity? 


THE  MYSTERY  DEEPENS.  297 

At  the  risk  of  annoying  the  girl,  who  had  sleepily 
twined  her  arms  about  his  neck,  the  doctor  again 
reached  back  and  satisfied  himself  that  he  had  de 
tected  a  well-shaped  foot  and  the  lower  part  of  a  leg, 
as  well  formed  as  a  robust  maiden's.  As  it  was  yet 
too  dark  to  distinguish  whether  any  part  of  the 
lower  amalgam  of  the  mermaid  was  covered  with 
fish  scales  or  flesh,  the  doctor  gave  himself  up  to 
an  hour's  reflection  upon  the  novelty  of  his  situation, 
and  the  singularity  of  the  being  lying  there  in  his 
arms. 

Morete  was  certainly  a  creature  of  rare  intelli 
gence,  and  though  wild  as  a  fawn,  she  was  beautiful 
as  a  flower.  Thus  he  lay  contemplating  the  strange 
problem  of  progressive  growth ,  —  a  case  of  un 
doubted  evolution, — the  traditional  water-girl  trans 
formed  to  a  perfect  earth-woman.  For  this,  she  was 
probably  driven  forth  from  her  aqueous  kindred  in 
the  peopled  regions  of  the  sea. 

The  night  hours  had  passed  rapidly,  and  it  was 
late  in  the  morning  watch  when  the  moon  stole  up 
from  her  ocean  hiding,  and  flung  the  light  of  her 
slim  crescent  upon  the  happy  pair.  Gladly  they 
availed  themselves  of  Cynthia's  sheen  to  get  upon 
their  feet,  and  look  about  for  something  in  the  way 
of  refreshment. 

It  was  soon  evident  that  neither  liked  the  other  to 
wander  far  away.  They  compromised  by  both  eat 
ing  bananas,  a  concession  that  enabled  them  to  again 
assume  their  former  place  by  the  boulder,  though 


298  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

Morete  now  seated  herself  in  a  similar  way  to  her 
companion,  with  her  feet  fairly  to  the  front,  much 
to  the  doctor's  delight.  Thus  seated,  the  pair  spent 
an  hour  of  renewed  interest  in  each  other. 

At  length  the  tumult  of  mingled  emotions  began  to 
weary  the  little  sea-girl ;  her  eyelids  drooped,  heavy 
with  slumber,  till  she  snuggled  back  into  the  arms 
of  her  captor  and  nestled  lovingly  against  his  breast, 
with  the  confiding  girlishness  of  a  human  maiden. 

Morete's  new-found  happiness  had  been  so  exces 
sive  and  unlooked-for,  that  long  after  she  seemed 
lost  in  sleep  a  slight  quiver  ran  through  her  frame, 
and  her  ambushed  glances  were  seen  stealing  out 
from  the  lifted  curtains  of  her  jetty  orbs,  seeking  to 
reassure  herself  that  her  loved  companion  was  there, 
and  was  not  wholly  a  delusion,  the  momentary  phan 
tom  of  a  dream. 

When  fully  assured  that  the  nervous,  impassioned 
girl  was  soundly  asleep,  the  doctor,  who  was  very 
human  by  nature,  as  well  as  a  skilled  physiologist, — 
two  strong  incentives  to  research, — might  well  be 
forgiven  for  seeking  to  spy  out  by  moonlight  any 
thing  of  a  pisciform  nature  to  be  found  in  the 
aquatic  creature.  It  was  a  moment  of  inexpressible 
agitation,  for  the  sharp-eyed  scientist  stood  upon 
the  verge  of  a  great  discovery. 

AVith  trembling  hand  and  beating  heart  (ireville 
proceeded  at  once  to  his  task.  AYilh  lightest  fingor- 
touches  he  lifted  the  girl's  black  tresses  —  her  only 
raiment  —  lock  after  lock,  till  every  vestige  of  the 


THE    STRANGE    TRANSFORMATION.  299 

silky  masses  was  removed,  to  fully  disclose  the  little 
maiden's  fish-appendages,  if  such  there  were. 

Then  with  reverent  eyes  the  man  of  science  be 
gan  to  study  the  graceful  curves  of  beauty  found 
in  the  untrammelled  model  of  nature's  handiwork. 
There  were  two  strong,  taper  limbs  and  normal  feet, 
and  a  pelvis  of  unusual  strength  and  perfection, 
made  perhaps  a  trifle  abnormal  by  excessive  swim 
ming.  As  a  naturalist,  Greville  was  struck  dumb 
with  the  importance  of  his  discovery  ;  as  a  physiol 
ogist,  he  assured  himself  beyond  doubt  —  by  re 
peated  inspection  —  that  a  perfect  transformation  had 
taken  place,  as  when  the  tadpole  becomes  the  frog. 

Lying  there  with  the  sleeping  mermaid  in  his 
arms,  the  doctor  pondered  every  conceivable  plan  to 
secure  her,  so  as  to  entice  her  willingly  aboard  the 
vessel.  A  less  tender-hearted  person  Avould  have 
found  no  difficulty  in  capturing  that  which  was 
already  in  his  possession.  But  all  unwittingly  Gre- 
ville's  heart  had  linked  him  to  this  little  ocean  waif, 
and  nothing  would  induce  him  to  resort  to  ungentle 

O  o 

means  to  secure  her  for  his  own. 

Her  arched  brows  and  voluptuous  lips  bespoke  a 
trusting,  docile  heart  and  great  capacity  for  loving ; 
so  that  her  sagacious  companion  made  no  doubt  but 
that  he  should  win  her  affection,  and  eventually  she 
would  gladly  go  with  him  to  the  ship.  While  to 
rudely  imprison  a  creature  so  sensitive  and  spirited 
would  surely  cause  her  to  pine  and  perish,  and  thus 
debar  her  captor  from  enticing  the  ocean  lore  which 
he  sought. 


300  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

Grcvillo  was  stirred  to  his  utmost  depths  while 
contemplating  what  a  noble  acquisition  it  would  be 
to  science  to  redeem  such  a  special  type  of  woman 
from  her  wild  sea-life ;  never  doubting  but  he 
should  learn  to  interpret  Morete's  aquatic  lingo,  and 
thus  acquire  knowledge  of  the  eerie  life  of  other 
wild  water-sprites  in  the  nether  ocean  —  rare  crea 
tures  that  inhabit  the  coral  cities  of  the  sea,  whose 
dim,  indistinct  figures  he  had  seen  by  moonlight 
in  the  far-down  reaches  of  the  bay  ;  and  other  vast, 
dusky  forms  seen  outlined  against  the  moon-touched 
bottom  and  the  coral  sands,  appearing  like  grim  old 
sea-gods  propelled  about  in  fish-drawn  chariots, 
whisking  furtively  along  from  grotto  to  grotto,  ever 
lurking  in  the  deep  shadows,  intent  upon  avoiding 
the  eye  of  man  and  the  light  of  day. 

When  day  at  length  dawned  and  the  sun  crept  up 
the  previous  moon-path,  awaking  the  birds  and  the 
breeze,  and  tinting  with  rainbow  hues  the  crests  ot 
the  towering  surf,  Greville  rubbed  his  sleepy  eyes, 
eager  to  study  the  form  and  features  of  the  sleeping 
sea-girl  in  the  full  glare  of  the  sun.  And  well  was 
the  man  of  science  repaid,  for  there  is  something 
verv  bewitching  in  the  unconscious  pose  of  a  wil 
lowy  form  during  sleep. 

Not  long  was  Greville  left  to  his  physiologicdJ! 
repast,  for  the  breakers  began  to  increase,  llounder- 
in<r  noisily  on  the  shore  till  the  beach  trembled  ami 

O  •* 

the  trees  rocked,  while  the   rising  bree/c  thing  the 
sun-gilde  1  spray  into  the  lace,  of  the   sleeper.      This 


THE    SLEEPING   MERMAID.  301 

served  to  slightly  disturb  the  sleeping  girl,  and  her 
lips  moved  in  audible  prattling.  She  sighed  and 
smiled  in  quick  succession,  and  clung  more  closely 
to  her  loved  companion,  as  if  she  were  rehearsing 
the  night's  joy  in  her  dreams. 

But  when  the  sun  had  climbed  above  the  breakers 
and  flung  his  hot  glare  upon  the  face  of  the  dream 
ing  girl,  then  her  long  silken  lashes  lifted  sluggishly 
from  her  cheeks,  till  her  great  staring  eyes  flashed  up 
into  the  kindly  face  above  her.  A  startled,  bewil 
dered  look  was  on  her  face,  a  visible  tremor  ran 
through  her  frame,  and  the  girl  shrank  timidly  away 
from  her  companion,  for  she  did  not  quite  compre 
hend  the  situation. 

When  it  dawned  upon  the  little  maiden  where  she 
was,  and  what  had  transpired,  it  was  beautiful  to 
witness  the  hot  flushes  mantle  her  cheeks,  and  see  the 
tremulous  lips  glow  with  intense  emotion.  She  lay 
with  her  dark,  questioning  eyes  lixecl  upon  the  doc 
tor's  gray  orbs,  feasting  on  his  magnetic  glances  and 
responding  with  loving  looks,  till  her  breast  heaved 
with  a  wild  ecstasy  of  which  she  had  no  knowledge, 
and  no  name. 

So  the  wondering  creature  lay  and  looked  her  un 
speakable  happiness  into  responsive  eyes,  and  held 
the  strong,  magnetic  man  as  by  a  spell.  At  length 
Greville  unclasped  the  girl's  arms  and  sprang  up  to 
accustom  her  to  his  appearance,  that  she  might  not 
again  doubt  his  identity,  wherever  they  met. 

The  shy  creature  rose  and  followed  her  companion 


302  THE    ISLE    OF    I'ALMS. 

lovingly  about,  showing  no  wish  to  escape.  With 
looks  of  admiration  she  walked  about  him,  examined 
his  clothes,  his  hands  and  hair,  expressing  some  con 
tempt  at  his  body  being  housed  in  garments.  Satis 
fied  with  her  inspection,  she  caught  his  hand  and  led 
him  across  the  strewn  shells  down  to  the  verge  of 
the  breakers,  making  swimming  motions  with  her 
hands,  for  him  to  go  Avith  her  into  the  surf.  A  cold 
shudder  ran  through  the  man.  It  was  the  old  tradi 
tional  method  for  sea-nymphs  to  inveigle  their  lovers 
under  the  sea. 

Greville  shook  his  head,  and  declined  with  thanks. 
Morete  arched  her  brows  with  contempt  at  the  ap 
parent  timidity  of  her  companion,  and  as  if  to  en 
courage  the  effeminate  fellow  to  manfully  take  his 
morning  ablution,  she  sprang  away  from  him  and 
leaped  under  the  great  blue  wall  of  foam-wreathed 
water  and  disappeared  from  view. 

The  doctor  ran  back  to  the  highest  part  of  the 
beach  to  watch  for  her  appearance.  More  than 
ninety  seconds  passed  before  the  girl  showed  herself 
outside  of  the  three  inner  rollers.  Shaking  her  wet 
elf-locks  from  her  laughing  face,  she  beckoned  for 
the  doctor  to  follow.  He  shook  his  head  and  >at 
watching  the  agile  creature  sporting  like  a  frolic 
some  seal  in  the  roaring  surges.  Presently  she 
mounted  upon  the  tallest  of  the  great  combers  and 
came  riding  shoreward,  her  long  hair  streaming  like 
a  black  banner  midst  the  flashing  foam. 

Leaping  to  the    beach,  just   as  the  great  curling 


BREAKFAST  WITH  MORETE.  303 

crest  was  breaking  on  the  shelly  shore,  she  ran  with 
childish  glee  to  where  the  doctor  sat.  After  strip 
ping  the  water  from  her  masses  of  hair  she  led  her 
friend  along  the  edge  of  the  forest  where  the  cocoa- 
nuts  were  plentiful.  Coming  to  the  dead  palm-tree, 
she  motioned  to  the  doctor  to  go  up  to  her  chamber 
in  the  sky.  But  again  her  clumsy  friend  had  to 
decline.  Not  at  all  disconcerted  at  the  gentleman's 
discourtesy  she  led  him  among  the  palms,  where 
youns;  cocoa-nuts  were  found  suitable  for  drinking. 
Selecting  a  jtall  tree  that  leaned  away  from  the  shore 
she  sprang  up  the  ridged  trunk  of  the  bowed  tree, 
and  in  a  few  seconds  twisted  off  a  whole  cluster  of 
young  nuts,  laughing  with  the  tones  of  a  tinkling 
brook  as  the  nuts  fell  sixty  feet  to  the  ground. 

This  accomplished,  Morete  came  nimbly  down  with 
backward  leaps,  somewhat  annoyed  by  her  long 
hair,  which  frequently  encumbered  her  way  when 
the  wind  blew  it  about  her  agile  legs  in  descending. 
Dragging  the  nuts  to  the  shore,  near  to  a  sharp- 
pointed  coral-rock,  adapted  to  her  wants,  Morete 
seated  herself  beside  the  stone,  and  impaling  the 
green  husk  of  her  nuts  upon  the  point  she  soon 
skinned  several  ready  for  use.  Catching  up  a 
pointed  shell  she  pierced  the  only  pervious  eye, 
and  offered  the  cool  nectar  to  her  companion, 
exclaiming,  "  mai-kaii-nu"  (good  drink),  preparing 
another  for  herself,  which  she  sipped  with  great 
relish. 

As   the  very  young   nuts    only  contain  milk  she 


304  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

broke  one  of  the  ripened  fruit,  provided  the  doctor 
with  a  spoon,  improvised  from  a  thin  shell,  and 
urged  him  to  eat.  Seeing  that  her  guest  did  not 
eat  the  creamy  substance  with  her  own  relish,  the 
hospitable  maiden  ran  into  the  wood  for  an  old 
cocoa-nut,  which,  when  broken,  disclosed  a  sweet 
feathery  puff-ball,  the  milk  having  been  transformed 
into  this  delicious  substance. 

Again  the  nimble  sea-girl  sprang  away  into  the 
forest.  Returning  in  a  few  minutes  she  brought 
some  crimson  plantains  and  scarlet  ohea  Apples,  and 
the  rarest  of  all  tropical  fruit,  several  lucious  chiri- 
moya.  Piling  them  all  into  the  doctor's  lap,  she 
crouched  before  him  with  merry  eyes,  and  looked  to 
see  him  eat. 

AVhen  the  morning  meal  was  over,  Morete  showed 
her  growing  affection  for  her  guest  by  gliding  tim 
idly  into  his  lap,  and  nestling  her  soft  olive  cheek 
to  his  brown  bearded  face.  Though  the  act  implied 
trust,  yet  her  great  languishing  eyes  expressed  sur 
prise  at  her  own  courage  in  resuming  her  recent 
nesting  place.  Morete's  growing  confidence  was 
very  gratifying  to  the  doctor,  and  he  patted  the 
flushed  cheek  of  the  little  damsel,  thinking  never 
was  human  maiden  more  charming  than  this  little 
sea-girl. 

The  sun  was  nearly  an  hour  high,  when  suddenly 
several  seamen  rounded  the  point,  uttering  unearthly 
yells  at  discovering  the  missing  doctor.  Morete 
sprang  up,  greatly  alarmed,  trembling  ^vith  terror. 


THE    TIMID    MERMAID.  305 

The  whole  aspect  of  the  girl  was  changed  ;  her  nos 
trils  were  dilated,  her  forehead  fluted,  and  her  eyes 
frenzied  with  an  insane  fear.  She  looked  to  Gre- 
ville  with  most  piteous  appeal  to  stay  their  coming. 
The  doctor  tried  to  draw  her  back  to  him  with 
soothing  words  and  gentle  acts,  but  she  repelled 
his  endearments,  and  motioned  imperiously  for  him 
to  drive  away  the  men.  It  was  fully  evident  that 
it  would  craze  the  timid  creature  to  restrain  her,  and 
Greville  left  her  free  to  do  as  she  pleased. 

Were  it  not  that  the  girl  was  so  thoroughly 
frightened,  Greville  would  have  enjoyed  the  spirited 
attitude  and  gestures  of  the  beautiful  creature.  She 
stood  in  the  act  of  springing  away,  questioning 
whether  she  should  leap  into  the  sea,  or  run  into  the 
forest,  poised  like  a  bird  about  to  take  wing  ;  or 
rather  as  the  trembling  deer  stands,  with  Avide  eyes, 
dilated  nostrils,  and  arched  neck,  ready  to  bound 
away  at  the  hunter's  approach,  a  pose  which  imparted 
additional  charms  to  Morete's  graceful  form.  The 
girl's  head  was  thrown  back  till  her  long  shining  hair 
trailed  upon  the  grass.  Yet  her  wind-blown  tresses 
did  not  obstruct  the  view  of  her  advanced  foot,  her 
heaving  chest,  and  strong  taper  limbs. 

It  was  a  good  test  of  her  affection  for  Greville  that 
Morete  did  not  fly  on  the  instant,  but  it  was  very 
evident  that  it  would  madden  the  startled  thing  to 
restrain  her.  When  the  men  first  appeared,  Morete 
exclaimed,  with  great  show  of  indignation,  what 
sounded  like,  "  Moko pa-pa  a!  "  —  probably  mean- 


30()  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

ing  ship's  people  ;  1)ut  when  Greville  failed  to  keep 
back  the  men,  with  the  frenzied  cry  of,  Ao-le  mai- 
kai!  —  no  good  —  the  girl  fled  like  a  whirlwind  into 
the  forest. 

Morey  explained  that  the  doctor's  absence  caused 
great  anxiety  on  board,  and  the  captain  had  given 
orders  to  go  in  search  of  him.  A  boat  had  been  sent 
round  by  the  southern  shore,  and  the  men  worked 
their  way  round  by  the  wreck.  The  boat  made  her 
appearance  while  the  two  men  were  talking,  and 
Greville  concluded  to  return  to  the  ship  by  the  boat, 
though  not  until  he  had  spent  half  an  hour  in  the 
forest  calling  to  Morete,  but  without  avail. 

After  returning  to  the  ship  Greville  related  his 
adventure  in  full  detail  to  the  captain,  and  it  was 
agreed  that  every  possible  means  should  be  used  to 
coax  the  wild  creature  to  the  ship,  and  only  as  a  last 
resort  should  harsh  measures  be  used  to  capture  her. 
The  doctor  suggested  the  plan  which  he  was  matur 
ing  to  paralyze  her — sufficiently  to  cause  uncon 
sciousness  —  as  perhaps  the  best  method  of  securing 
a  creature  so  strong  and  fractious,  and  the  toxic 
action  of  several  available  narcotics  Avere  fully  dis 
cussed,  and  most  of  them  had  to  be  rejected,  for 
want  of  an  antidotal  remedy  to  restore  the  paralyzed 
subject. 


CHAPTER    XXVII. 

WRECKING    FOR    TREASURE. 

SINCE  discovering  treasure  in  the  old  Spanish 
wreck  the  seamen  had  been  kept  very  busy  on 
the  ship  and  ashore.  The  eleventh  day's  labor  at  the 
galleon  had  unearthed  nearly  a  million  in  value  of 
gold  and  silver  ingots.  After  the  strong  oblong 
cases  had  been  unhoused  from  their  thick  coral 
sheathing,  they  were  spread  out  on  the  poop  to  dry, 
preparatory  to  being  taken  on  board  ship.  As 
might  be  expected,  the  men  worked  with  great  zeal 
and  much  noise,  and  the  wrecking  was  being 
advanced  rapidly. 

As  many  of  the  packages  were  bulky,  the  officers 
were  forced  to  the  conclusion  that  the  run  of  the 
sharp-built  Fleetwing  was  not  capacious  enough  to 
contain  more  than  two-thirds  of  the  treasure,  there 
fore  some  new  arrangement  required  to  be  made  to 
receive  the  whole.  Thus  the  casks  and  provisions 
in  the  entire  after-hold  were  broken  out,  and  a  heavy 
bulkhead  of  plank  was  built  just  beaft  the  booby- 
hatch. 

[307] 


308 


THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 


The  hatchway  into  the  run  also  required  to  be 
enlarged,  to  adapt  it  to  the  larger  packages.  This 
being  accomplished,  and  the  ship's  hold  stowed  off, 
she  was  now  ready  to  receive  her  precious  freight, 
fast  as  it  could  be  brought  off.  To  facilitate  matters 
when  unloading  the  boats,  a  strong  staging  was 
made  over  the  side  in  the  starboard  waist,  at  about 
the  level  of  the  platform  on  the  loaded  boats.  Upon 
this  the  boxes,  tierces  and  large  cases  could  be 
unloaded  before  hoisting  on  board. 

These  several  preparations  having  been  completed, 
and  a  strong  platform  perfected  across  two  of  the 
best  boats,  which  were  previously  lashed  side  by 
side,  the  following  day  was  to  be  given  to  trans 
porting  some  of  the  treasure  to  the  ship.  A  last 
happy  thought  was  to  stretch  a  whale-line  from  the 
ship's  forward  chain-plates  to  a  tree  on  the  shore, 
near  the  cavern's  mouth.  By  this  line  the  men  on 
the  boat-raft  could  haul  their  craft  back  and  forth, 
whether  loaded  or  light,  instead  of  the  more  cum 
bersome  way  of  being  towed  by  a  third  boat. 

On  the  morning  of  the  twelfth  wrecking  day  the 
crew  of  the  raft  hauled  ashore  by  the  whale-line. 
Then  grappling  the  buoyed  line  which  led  to  the 
wreck,  they  hauled  through  the  underground  passage, 
alongside  of  the  old  galleon,  ready  to  receive  freight. 
The  devil's  den  became  so  dark  when  fairly  in 
under  the  coral  archway  that  one  man  could  not  see 
another  the  length  of  a  boat  while  making  the  pas 
sage.  Its  terrible  associations  with  the  devil-fish 


IN    THE    DEVIL'S    DEX.  309 

and  the  death  of  Billy.  Livingston,  caused  the  boldest 
seaman  to  shudder  while  passing  through  the  cavern. 
But  its  use  would  save  the  crew  a  week's  work,  and 
it  was  much  the  safest  way  of  transshipping  the 
treasure. 

The  place  was  roomy  and  airy.  The  coral  roof 
was  arched  so  high  above  the  water  that  even  Long 
Tom,  the  tallest  man  on  board,  could  stand  upright 
on  the  platform  while  making  the  passage.  Never 
theless,  the  seamen  were  horrified  at  the  thought  of 
entering  the  dismal  den,  and  no  argument  could 
overcome  their  fears. 

The  gurgling  noise  of  the  slow-running  water  and 
the  crackling  of  the  coral  roof,  caused  by  the  sway 
ing  trees  overhead,  whose  roots  were  bedded  deep 
down  into  the  crevices,  added  greatly  to  the  ghostli- 
ness  of  the  cavern.  When  the  trades  were  fresh, 
the  wail  of  the  wind  was  most  unpleasant  to  hear, 
so  like  a  muffled  cry  of  human  grief.  This,  and  the 
groaning  noises  made  by  the  surf  on  the  seaward 
shore,  were  unearthly  elements,  sufficient  to  arouse 
the  worst  superstitions  of  the  seamen,  and  never  a 
man  but  came  out  of  the  devil's  den  paler  than  he 
went  in. 

For  such  reasons,  it  required  considerable  argu 
ment  from  Captain  Lawrence  to  induce  some  of  the 
most  trusty  men  to  take  charge  of  the  boat-raft 
while  freighting  the  treasure  through  the  tunnel. 
Hoogley,  the  Malay  priest,  and  Jim,  the  brave 
Nantucket  man,  were  the  only  two  who  yielded  at 


310  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

first.  Crawford,  Buntlinc  and  Mr.  Antoine  stood 
quaking  with  fear,  begging  not  to  be  sent  quite  so 
near  to  the  "  durned  brimstone  place  !  " 

Finally,  the  captain  clenched  his  argument  by  telling 
his  two  old  shipmates  that  if  they  refused  he,  him 
self,  would  lead  the  gang  and  shame  his  two  best 
seamen  as  men  were  never  shamed  before.  This 
settled  the  matter,  and  they  yielded  most  ungrace 
fully.  Hoogley,  Tom  and  'Tucket  were  the  cap 
tain's  chosen  men  for  this  trusty  position.  Before 
the  day  was  over  other  men  made  bold  to  offer  their 
services.  But  none  others  were  allowed  on  the 
treasure  raft  when  loaded,  though  others  of  the  crew 
were  permitted  to  make  the  dread  passage  in,  on  the 
empty  boats,  when  going  for  a  load. 

A  warp  for  the  stem  and  stern  was  thrown  down 
to  Hoogley  and  Tom,  as  the  raft  ran  alongside  of 
the  "  Florida."  Braybrook,  with  a  part  of  his  gang, 
gave  his  personal  attention  to  loading  the  treasure. 
The  tackle  had  been  guyed  out  fairly  over  the  open 
ing  down  through  the  coral,  which  was  not  much 
larger  than  the  ship's  main-hatch.  Some  of  the 
largest  and  most  valuable  packages  were  hooked-to 
first.  These  were  stowed  along  the  centre  of  the 
platform,  while  the  smaller  boxes  of  ingots  were 
tiered  upon  each  side. 

Care  was  taken  to  avoid  weighting  the  boats  too 
heavily  the  first  trip,  though  the  wind  was  light  ami 
there  was  no  sea  in  the  harbor.  The  gunwales  of  the 
boats  were  kept  six  inches  above  water,  and  the  crew 


SHIPPING    THE    TREASURE.  311 

were  ordered  to  keep  themselves  amidships  during 
the  passage.  Further  precaution  was  taken  to 
attach  a"  buoy-rope  and  buoy  to  ten  of  the  most 
valuable  cases,  so  that  they  could  be  rescued  if  lost 
overboard  by  any  accident  while  in  transit. 

When  the  first  load  was  completed,  ready  to  make 
the  passage,  Bray  brook  called  up  Tom,  and  him 
self  climbed  down  the  side  of  the  wreck  through 
the  coral  hatchway,  feeling  much  anxiety  about  the 
success  of  the  first  trip.  The  mate  took  his  posi 
tion  on  the  forward  part  of  the  platform.  Hoogley 
was  stationed  aft,  and  'Tucket  amidships 

Word  was  given  to  let  go  the  boat's  warps.  The 
raft  moved  gently  away  with  the  current,  which  ran 
about  a  mile  and  a  half  an  hour  while  the  trades 
were  light,  increasing  to  a  trifle  over  two  knots 
when  the  wind  blew  strong. 

No  effort  was  made  to  hasten  the  raft  through  the 
passage,  it  was  simply  guided  by  keeping  the  buoy- 
rope  taut,  lest  the  boats  should  strike  on  either  side 
of  the  tunnel.  It  took  about  ten  minutes  to  drift 
out  through  the  cavern  to  the  end  of  the  buoyed 
rope.  Then  the  whale-line  was  grappled,  and  the 
boats  were  warped  merrily  to  the  ship,  with  a  song 
from  'Tucket  and  a  chorus  from  those  aboard  that 
waked  the  hundred  echoes  of  the  bay. 

When  the  first  quarter-million  of  treasure  was 
boAVsed  alongside  and  made  secure  by  warps  forward 
and  aft,  then  a  cheer  went  up  from  every  soul  on 
board,  from  captain  to  cook,  —  a  long,  loud,  heart- 


312  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

felt  cheer,  that  made  the  parrots  believe  that  the 
world  had  again  gone  mad.  The  ship's  people 
swung  out  their  tackle,  and  while  hoisting  aboard 
the  first  package  of  Spanish  gold  their  songs  were 
merry  and  their  hands  were  strong. 

And  why  should  they  not  be  merry?  They  had 
discovered  wealth  sufficient  to  enrich  every  man  be 
longing  to  the  ship,  enough  so  that  the  poorest 
sailor-man  could  give  up  the  sea.  The  captain 
stood  upon  the  cabin-deck  overlooking  the  proceed 
ings.  Mr.  Bailey  was  in  the  waist  to  oversee  the 
hoisting.  His  shrivelled  old  face  was  wreathed  in 
most  comical  contortions,  which  were  possibly  meant 
for  smiles,  —  sweet  grimaces  of  joy,  — .though  none 
but  a  skilled  physiognomist  could  determine  that  his 
grimaces  were  not  wicked  menaces  of  murder. 

When  the  load  was  all  safely  aboard,  the  boats 
were  run  quickly  back  to  the  wreck,  and  the  toil  of 
transshipping  the  treasure  was  fairly  begun.  The 
same  care  was  taken  in  selecting  from  the  heaped-up 
store  on  the  poop  as  at  first,  and  the  raft  was  stowed 
with  every  precaution,  buoying  the  best  package  as 
before,  but  the  charge  of  transporting  the  raft  to  the 
ship  was  left  to  the  trusty  three  whom  the  captain 
had  selected. 

So  the  pleasant  task  was  carried  vigorously  on  till 
noon  ;  then  two  hours  were  allowed  for  dinner  and  a 
noontime  nap  in  the  heat  of  the  day.  At  two  o'clock 
the  wreckers  resumed  their  work,  and  the  freighters 
applied  themselves  with  renewed  /eal.  When  nHit 


THE    HAPPY    CREW.  313 

closed  down  upon  them  there  was  a  million  and  a 
half  dollars'  worth  of  rich  wreckage  on  board  the 
Fleetwing,  where  it  had  been  found  but  small  labor 
to  stow  it  away  in  the  run. 

There  followed  another  day  of  like  success,  with 
no  cause  to  deplore  the  carelessness  of  any  one  in 
handling  the  rich  spoil.  Every  Spanish  mark  and 
date  found  on  the  packages  were  copied  off  by  the 
captain  and  steward,  and  each  kind  of  metal  was 
stored  in  the  hold  by  itself,  so  that  it  could  be 
broken  out  in  port  in  the  quantity  and  kind  re 
quired. 

It  would  require  about  a  week's  more  labor  to 
break  out  the  remainder  of  the  treasure,  the  lower 
tiers  were  so  much  submerged  under  water,  and  the 
rock-bound  packages  had  become  so  heavy  to  han 
dle.  The  largest  cases  were  so  weighty  that  it  was 
now  found  necessary  to  break  away  the  coral  crust 
ing  under  water  before  they  could  be  hooked  to. 
This  work  could  only  be  done  with  the  head-spade, 
a  heavy  iron  instrument  made  for  cutting  the  large 
neck-bone  of  the  right  whale.  The  short-handled 
axes  were  of  no  use,  and  the  crowbars  had  to  be 
greatly  lengthened  out  to  be  of  service. 

Tired  as  the  seamen  were  after  such  hard  days' 
toil,  they  were  so  elated  that  the  old  galleon  had 
proved  such  an  Eldorado  that  they  nightly  indulged 
in  the  merry  dance  and  song.  Now  that  the  voyage 
promised  to  be  brief,  the  steward  was  ordered  to 
deal  out  some  of  the  cabin  luxuries  to  the  crew. 


314  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

They  were  allowed  sugar  for  making  lemonade,  the 
fresh  fruit  being  abundant.  Though  they  would  have 
preferred  a  more  exhilarating  beverage,  which  was 
tabooed,  yet  they  succeeded  in  making  an  all-suffi 
cient  uproar  as  it  was. 

Promptly  at  the  hour  of  ten  the  mate  would  order 
quiet  among  the  crew,  and  ten  minutes  after  a 
chorus  of  snores  could  be  heard  trumpeting  from 
every  part  of  the  forward  deck.  Breakfast  was 
usually  eaten  before  daybreak,  so  that  the  wreckers 
could  go  to  their  work  in  the  cool  of  the  morning. 
To  offset  this,  they  were  given  the  privilege  of 
sleeping  two  hours  during  the  noonday  heat. 

On  the  thirteenth  morning,  when  taking  boat  for 
the  shore,  ten  of  the  gang  of  twenty  wreckers 
climbed  down  upon  the  boat-raft  to  boldly  try  the 
passage  of  the  devil's  den,  with  the  mate's  permis 
sion.  The  other  ten  men  pulled  ashore  in  the  boat 
with  Braybrook  and  Morey.  Landing  on  the  beach, 
they  followed  the  path  through  the  woods  and 
reached  the  wreck  before  the  other  men  left  the  ship. 

When  the  men  on  the  raft  were  at  length  ready  to 
proceed,  one  and  all  grappled  to  the  tow  rope,  and 
by  their  united  force  ran  the  boats  quickly  to  the 
cavern's  mouth,  making  a  noisy  chorus  that  set  tl,e 
parrots  shrieking  with  terrific  din.  At  the  entrain  e 
to  the  tunnel  the  merry  fellows  seized  upon  tlie 
buoyed  rope,  eager  to  haul  the  raft  briskly  through 
the  dismal  passage  and  alongside  the  wreck,  where 
their  shipmates  awaited  them. 


ASSAILED    BY    THE    OCTOPUS. 

Braybrook  and  Morey  stood  leaning  over  the 
coral-covered  side  of  the  wreck,  leisurely  smoking 
their  pipes,  and  watching  for  the  raft  to  make  its 
appearance  in  the  opening  through  the  coral.  The 
mate  saw  the  guide-rope  shake,  and  grow  taut, 
when  the  crew  seized  it  and  pulled  lustily  upon  it. 
He  heard  the  merry  shouts  of  the  noisy  fellows  fast 
approaching  the  wreck,  and  a  man  was  ordered  to 
stand  ready  to  throw  the  warp  when  the  boats  came 
under  the  coral-hatchway. 

Then  came  a  sudden  crash,  as  if  the  raft  had  been 
run  into  the  side  of  the  coral  cavern.  The  guide- 
rope  slackened,  and  was  pulled  upon  no  more.*  The 
cries  of  the  alarmed  men  came  piercing  up  the  open 
ing,  followed  by  the  hideous  screech  of  the  sea-beast, 
and  its  hundred  prolonged  echoes,  which  told  the 
whole  story  in  a  twinkling.  The  devil-fish  was  in 
his  lair,  and  the  men  were  being  devoured  by  the 
monster. 

The  noise  of  splintering  planks  now  reached  the 
mate,  and  the  grating  sound  of  the  boats  being- 
ground  against  the  coral  mingled  with  the  continu 
ous  snake-like  hissing  of  the  enraged  demon.  This, 
with  the  occasional  groans  of  their  shipmates,  and 
the  gurgling  sound  of  drowning  men,  were  horrors 

O         O  O  o 

that  made  the  mates'  hair  stand  on  end. 

For  a  few  minutes  neither  officer  knew  how  to 
lend  a  helping  hand.  Leaving  Morey  to  watch  the 
hole  in  the  coral,  with  a  rope  ready  to  throw  down 
to  any  one  calling  for  assistance,  Braybrook  called 


31  (J  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

off  nil  the  other  men  to  follow  him  through  the 
woods  to  the  bay-shore. 

It  seems  that  when  the  boat-raft  was  midway  of 
the  dark  passage,  the  bows  suddenly  crashed  into 
something  while  at  full  speed,  sending  the  forward 
platform  leaping  up  to  the  coral  roofing,  while  the 
men  forward  were  knocked  down  and  stunned  by 
the  blow  from  above,  and  the  larger  part  of  the  crew 
were  tipped  oft'  from  the  stern  of  the  platform  and 
left  swimming  in  the  water. 

As  yet  no  one  could  conceive  what  the  boats  had 
grounded  upon.  Presently  the  boats  slipped  buck 
from  .the  obstruction  with  a  grating  sound  and  drifted 
astern  with  the  current.  Then  the  raft  was  seized 
by  the  huge  mandible  of  the  devil-fish,  and  the 
shriek  of  their  old  enemy  filled  the  cavern  with 
audible  terror,  leaving  them  in  doubt  no  longer. 

The  savage  beast  shook  the  raft  from  side  to  side 
as  a  dog  shakes  his  game,  cracking  and  splintering 
the  planks  in  his  rage  and  hissing  like  a  snake.  The 
stunned  men  were  rolled  overboard  into  the  arms  of 
the  fierce  creature,  at  the  risk  of  being  grappled  by 
his  horny  claws;  though  he  was  wrestling  at  too 
close  quarters  with  the  raft  to  make  good  use  of  his 
tentacles,  which  were  elbowing  rouglily  against  the 
bottom  of  the  boats. 

AVhen  the  mate  and  his  gang  reached  the  shore, 
they  manned  the  boat,  shoved  oil'  and  pulled  lustily 
for  the  mouth  of  the  cavern.  As  the  boat  rounded 
the  sand-spit  and  headed  for  the  tunnel,  six  men 


THE  MAI)  MONSTER'S  MISCHIEF.  oil 

from  the  raft  were  met  swimming  out  of  the  cave, 
apparently  unharmed,  but  looking  aghast  with  terror. 

The  men  briefly  reported  that  the  boats  had  run 
blundering  into  the  arms  of  the  devil-fish,  and  they 
believed  that  the  rest  of  their  shipmates  had  been 
seized  and  killed.  Braybrook  bade  them  go  ashore 
and  wait  for  his  return,  and  the  boat  continued  on, 
pulling  close  up  to  the  tunnel,  ready  to  render 
assistance  to  others  if  any  were  alive. 

While  holding  the   boat  head   to   the  current,— 
alert  to   spring  away   if  the  monster   appeared,  - 
presently  old  Tom  and  'Tucket  came  slowly  drifting 
out  of  the  den,  face  downward,  as  if  dead.     Craw 
ford's  head  was  bruised  and  bleeding,  as  if  he  had 
been   clawed   by  the  beast.     The  waterlogged  men 
were  hauled  into  the  boat,  and  inclined  head  clown 
to  free  the  lungs  of  water.     The  boat  was   pulled 
quickly  to  the  ship  where  the  drowned  men  could 
have  better  attention  and. the  doctor's  assistance. 

While  this  was  going  on  the  masthead  lookout 
called  out  that  another  man  was  floating  out  of  the 
cavern.  Braybrook  pulled  hurriedly  back  and  found 
that  the  apparently  dead  man  was  Pico.  This 
accounted  for  all  but  one  of  the  missing  men.  Just 
who  the  lost  one  was  the  crew  could  not  tell.  Pico 
was  taken  to  the  ship,  though  with  no  hope  of  his 
recovery,  and  the  boat  again  returned  to  the  devil's 
den. 

After  watching  half  an  hour  and  seeing  nothing 
but  splintered  pieces  of  the  raft  come  from  the 


TIIK    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

passage,  Braybrook  pulled  to  the  shore  and  took  the 
six  men  and  Mr.  Morey  to  the  ship.  The  three 
half-drowned  men  were  rallying  and  at  length  were 
saved,  though  all  were  badly  bruised  on  the  head 
by  being  thumped  against  the  coral  roof.  When  the 
roll  was  called  it  was  found  that  English  Bill  \vas  the 
missing  man  ;  he  was  one  of  the  men  on  the  forward 
platform  with  Tom. 

As  it  was  feared  that  the  devil-fish  would  attack 
the  ship  when  he  got  tired  of  splintering  the  boats, 
the  hatches  were  closed,  barred,  and  the  tarpaulins 
put  on.  The  spades  were  placed  handy  for  use,  the 
six-pounder  was  loaded  with  canister  and  hauled 
into  the  waist,  w^cre,  with  the  gangway  out,  a  shot 
could  be  got  at  the  beast  if  he  approached  as  usual 
on  the  starboard  side. 

As  the  decapod  did  not  attack  the  ship  it  was  de 
termined  that  the  best  and  safest  policy  would  be  to 
assail  him.  And  it  was  thought  best  to  begin  at 
once,  while  sure  he  was  at  home,  as  no  more  iVeiirht- 
ing  could  be  done  until  the  brute  was  disposed  of. 

Putnam's  plan  of  attacking  the  wolf  in  his  den, 
was  deemed  the  best  method  in  the  present  case. 
Lower  a  keg  of  powder  into  the  devil's  den,  give  it 
time  to  drift  down  upon  the  enemy,  and  explode  il  : 
this  would  give  the  desired  result. 

All  hands  were  called,  and  it  was  determined  to 
act  at  once.  Two  kegs  of  cannon  powder  were 
emptied  into  a  small,  slim  cask,  which  was  strongly 
becketed.  To  this  was  secured  a  hundred  feet  of 


ATTACKING    THE    DEVIL.  319 

tow-rope,  by  which  to  drift  the  cask  down  upon  the 
enemy. 

Twenty  feet  of  tubing,  having  a  half  inch  hole, 
was  carefully  filled  with  good  gunpowder,  made 
slightly  damp  to  act  as  a  time-fuse,  and  inserted  into 
the  end  of  the  cask  among  the  dry  powder.  The 
powder-cask  was  then  lowered  into  the  mate's  boat 
and  taken  to  the  beach,  where  it  was  slung  upon  two 
poles,  and  carried  by  four  men  to  the  wreck. 

Mr.  Morey  followed  with  the  waist  boat,  taking 
five  plank,  seach  ten  feet  long,  becketed  at  the  ends, 
so  that  the  whole  five  could  be  linked  together,  and 
follow  the  cask  as  a  float.  The  planks  were  to  bear 
up  the  time-fuse  and  thirty  feet  of  slow-match, 
formed  of  dry  tow,  which  would  connect  the  powder- 
tube  with  the  wreck. 

It  was  short  work  to  transport  these  simple  im 
plements  of  destruction  from  the  shore  to  the  wreck. 
When  all  were  ready,  the  powder-cask  was  hoisted 
over  the  side,  and  after  the  first  plank  was  secured 
to  it,  and  the  powder-tube  adjusted,  it  was  lowered 
down  through  the  coral  hatchway  to  the  water,  and 
held  in  tow  by  its  warps. 

When  the  cask  and  first  plank  were  fairly  afloat  in 
the  subterranean  passage,  another  plank  was  attached, 
to  which  the  remainder  of  the  tube  was  secured,  to 
gether  with  the  beginning  of  the  slow-match.  So 
one  after  another  of  the  five  planks  was  tailed  on,  all 
containing  the  slow-match  ;  and  the  powder-cask  was 
slacked  away  fifty  feet  down  the  dark  passage,  with 
out  dNturbinjr  the  devil-fish. 


320  THE     ISLE    OF    PALAIS. 

Bidding  the  crew  retreat  to  the  weather  shore, 
Bniybrook  lighted  the  tow,  and  watched  to  see  the 
slow-match  burn,  till  the  flame  disappeared  down  the 
devil's  den,  through  which  there  was  a  strong  draft. 
Then  the  mate  followed  the  men  to  a  safe  distance, 
exulting  over  the  thought  that  the  Flectwing's  people 
would  soon  be  revenged,  if  their  plan  prospered. 

Ten  minutes  passed,  and  all  agreed  that  their  mine 
was  a  failure.  Just  why  the  fuse  failed  to  explode 
the  powder,  remained  to  be  seen.  All  started  back 
to  the  wreck  to  pull  up  the  train,  plank  after  plank, 
to  learn  where  the  trouble  was.  There  was  a  general 
feeling  that  the  flaming  tow  had  attracted  the  devil 
fish,  and  he  had  pounced  upon  the  cask,  and  in  some 
way  disconnected  it  from  the  fuse. 

Braybrook,  who  was  in  advance,  had  just  stepped 
down  upon  the  wreck,  and  Morey  was  about  to  fol 
low  him,  when  the  long-delayed  explosion  took  place. 
The  concussion  knocked  down  the  mate,  and  tumbled 
Morey  back  among  the  men.  Trees,  cocoa-nuts, 
broken  coral,  and  a  cloud  of  dirt  leaped  into  the  air 
with  a  munHed  roar,  sounding  much  like  a  distant 
growl  of  thiHider,  followed  by  a  more  stunning  reverr 
beration. 

Coral  and  cocoa-nuts  fell  thickly  about  the  sea 
men,  but  none  were  seriously  injured.  When  the 
vast  mass  of  debris  had  fallen,  the  mate  sprang  up 
and  ran  to  the  opposite  side  of  the  wreck  to  see  the 
effect.  A  hundred  feet  of  the  top  of  the  cavern  was 
blown  off,  but  nothing  could  be  seen  of  the  raft  or 


AN    APPALLING    SIGHT.  321 

the  devil-fish.  The  foremast  and  the  crosstrees  of 
the  wreck  were  left  (standing,  free  and  clear  of  the 
encumbering-  foliage  that  had  hidden  it  from  view. 

Bray  brook  led  the  way  to  the  bay-shore,  followed 
by  the  men.  As  the  officers  emerged  from  the 
woods  the  shattered  remains  of  the  raft  were  seen 
drifting  out  into  the  bay.  One  boat  was  afloat, 
while  the  other  was  torn  to  tatters.  Floating  in 
the  water,  near  the  mouth  of  the  den,  were  great 
squirming  masses  of  the  torn  monster,  drifting  help 
lessly  in  the  current. 

Upon  the  near  shore  the  mate  and  the  men  were 
confronted  by  an  appalling  sight  that  made  their 
blood  run  cold.  Crawling  languidly  up  on  the  sand- 
spit  before  them  were  the  live  right-hand  tentacles 
of  the  hideous  sea-beast,  tugging  lustily  to  drag  after 
them  some  thirty  feet  of  the  bloated  body,  which 
was  still  attached  to  these  mighty  members.  The 
officers  watched  to  see  the  snakish  limbs  complete 
their  task.  Then  the  tentacles  stretched  out  upon 
the  hot  sand  at  full  length,  radiating  from  a  common 
centre,  like  live  points  of  a  compass,  leaving  the 
torn  segment  of  the  body  to  squirm  about  in  the 
water. 

There  Avas  but  little  damage  done  to  any  of  these 
five  vast  tentacles,  though  the  fifth  presented  a 
strange,  barrel-shaped  appearance  that  held  the 
attention.  While  the  base  of  either  of  the  four 
forward  limbs  was  not  larger  than  the  mainmast, 
the  hindmost  one,  for  at  least  twenty  feet,  was  as 


322  TUP:  ISLE  OF  PALMS. 

large  as  a  five  barrel  cask,  and  it  soon  after  disclosed 
the  most  singular  phenomenon  known  to  naturalists. 

While  the  mates  stood  watching  the  painful  con- 
-tortions  of  these  gigantic  limbs,  first  stretching  to 
their  utmost  and  tearing  up  the  sand  with  their 
countless  horny  claws,  and  then  contracting  into 
snake-like  convolutions,  as  if  about  to  spring  upon 
the  men  before  them,  their  attention  was  drawn 
to  the  lively  internal  movement  of  something  within 
the  swollen  part  of  the  fifth  tentacle. 

It  certainly  appeared  as  if  some  live  creatuie  was 
moving  about  from  end  to  end  in  the  enlarged  part 
of  the  limb.  The  cause  of  this  was  soon  to  b(3  dis 
closed.  Suddenly  five  nimble  young  devil-fish  came 
crawling  out  of  a  rent,  or  a  natural  orifice,  near  the 
body,  and  scrambled  off  into  the  water  like  a  nest 
of  eels. 

So  their  turbulent  enemy  was  a  female  decapod  ; 
an  approximate  mother,  full  of  the  maternal  instinct 
to  defend  her  lair,  as  a  bird  battles  for  its  nest,  or  a 
mother-whale  loses  her  life  willingly  to  protect  her 
young.  The  apperture,  which  was  taken  for  a  per 
forated  place  in  the  limb,  proved  to  be  the  natural 
fetal  outlet  of  the  young-bearing  parts.  Whether 
the  left  side  of  the  sea-beast  was  of  similar  construc 
tion  could  not  be  ascertained,  for  the  tentacles  of 
that  side  were  torn  to  tatters  by  the  explosion. 

Dr.  Greville  subsequently  took  the  actual  me;i  — 
urement  of  the  five  tentacles  as  they  lay  stretched 
on  the  shore.  The  four  side,  ones  were  found  to 


THE  SHATTERED  DECAPOD.  323 

measure  a  trifle  more  than  fifty  feet.  They  had 
two  rows  of  denticulated  suckers,  disk  shaped,  of 
from  six  to  eight  inches  in  diameter,  having  num 
erous  claws  rimmed  about  each  of  the  larger  ones. 
The  ends  of  these  four  tentacles  were  supplied  with 
twenty  hooked  claws  —  ten  on  a  side. 

The  forward  and  larger  tentacle  measured  sixty- 
one  feet,  and  its  extremity  was  armed  with  a  double 
row  of  horny  claws  along  one-third  of  its  length. 
This  gigantic  arm  was  more  supple  and  prehensile 
than  the  others,  and  was  gifted  with  much  greater 
power  of  extension  and  contraction  than  its  fellows. 
The  vast  beak  or  mandible  was  found  elsewhere 
and  taken  on  board.  It  measured  ten  and  a  half 
feet  and  was  thick  as  a  topmast ;  it  was  shaped  like 
a  parrot's  bill.  The  edges  of  the  upper  mandible 
were  denticulated  like  saw  teeth,  of  a  horny  sub 
stance  like  cows'  horn.  It  could  bite  a  yard-arm  off 
—  as  we  have  seen.  The  throat  was  large  enough 
to  swallow  a  man  easily.  The  stomach,  inwards, 
and  its  large  water-tube  —  one  of  its  means  of  pro 
pulsion were  so  shattered  by  the  explosion  that 

they  could  not  be  analyzed. 


CHAPTER   XXVIII. 

SOLVING    THE    MYSTEISY. 

THOUGH  the  Fleetwing's  people  liad  of  late  found 
mutters  of  much  greater  interest  than  the  Fire 
Cross  to  talk  about,  they  had  not  forgotten  their  fright 
about  it,  or  ceased  to  conjecture  what  the  nature 
of  its  mystery  could  be.  But  since  the  explosion 
cleared  away  the  foliage  that  had  hidden  the  foiv- 
niast  of  the  old  galleon,  the  whole  secret  of  the 
weird  light  was  disclosed. 

When  the  vessel  was  wrecked,  her  main  and  mix- 
zen  masts  were  carried  away  by  the  board  — broken 
short  on"  jit  the  deck  —  while,  strange  to  say,  the 
foremast  remained  intact  to  the  very  head  of  the 
lower  mast ;  the  fore-topmast  breaking  at  the  cap, 
left  the  heel  of  the  mast  held  fast  to  the  crosstrees 
by  its  fid.  Ships  did  not  have  tops  in  those  long- 
gone  days,  so  it  was  the  mast  and  crosstrees  wliirh 
gave  shape  to  the  Fire  Cross. 

The  lower  mast  and  all  its  top  hamper  aloft  were 
heavily  coated  with  fine  coral  sand;  growinir  upon 
this  stony  crust  of  coral  was  found  a  prolific  growth 

[324] 


THE    LUMINOUS    FUNGI.  325 

of  vegetable  fungoid,  the  Agaricu*  muscarius,  bright 
with  crimson  and  gold  pileus.  Mingled  here  and 
there  with  this  rare  fungus,  over  both  mast  and 
crosstrees,  Avere  a  few  other  more  common  varieties 
of  purple,  orange  and  green,  all  of  which  had  con 
tributed  to  the  previous  displays  of  brilliant  fire 
works  that  had  so  aroused  the  curiosity  of  the  crew. 
The  luminous  quality  of  the  Fly  Agaric  found  upon 
the  Florida's  cross-trees  is  the  most  marvellous  of  all 
the  mycologic  iloni.  Many  of  the  more  common 
fungi  are  edible  and  quite  palatable  to  those  accus 
tomed  to  eating  them.  Among  the  edible  fungoids 
found  in  northern  autumnal  forests  are  the  Bolete, 
blazing  with  crimson  and  orange,  the  delicate  Peziza, 
with  its  golden  cups  richly  tinted  in  velvety  browns, 
and  the  Agaricus  lacatus,  blooming  with  soft  ame 
thystine  colors. 

Not  so  with  the  pungent  and  poisonous  Fly  Aga 
ric,  which  is  a  powerful  narcotic  used  in  many  coun 
tries  for  medical  and  stimulative  purposes.  When 
indicated  for  disease,  the  action  of  this  fungoid  is 
positive  and  specific.  Its  remedial  Limits  are  the 
nervous  disorders,  whether  acute  or  chronic,  where 
the  lesion,  or  seat  of  disease,  is  located  upon  the  an 
terior  spinal  nerves,  in  the  form  of  anemia,  or  spinal 
irritation. 

The  author  is  indebted  to  the  venerable  Dr.  Mecle- 
lino  of  Brazil  for  much  rare  and  curious  knowledge 
of  the  medical  action  of  this  Agaricus  upon  epileptic 
conditions,  all  chorea-like  twitchings  and  contor- 


326  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

tions  and  its  associate  paralysis,  together  with  the 
long-lasting  vertigo  arising  from  brain-fag,  and  the 
usual  spinal  sensitiveness  to  cold  air,  which  accom 
pany  it.  Medelino  also  teaches  that  all  diseases 
cured  by  Fly  Agaric  are  greatly  aggravated  during 
the  full  and  change  of  the  moon,  especially  in 
females,  and  more  particularly  when  the  moon's 
perigee  coincides  with  the  above  lunar  phases. 

We  are  also  greatly  beholden  to  the  sagacious 
medico-priests  of  Hindostan  for  some  singular  uses 
made  of  this  fungoid  in  their  country.  It  is  a  most 
active  aphrodisiac,  used  like  hashish  in  India  and 
opium  among  the  Celestials.  Although  an  active 
poison  its  toxic  effect  passes  away  after  a  prolonged 
natural  sleep,  or  by  frequent  urination. 

The  Agaricus  is  used  in  many  remote  countries  as 
an  intoxicant.  The  method  of  its  use  when  taken 
for  convivial  purposes  at  a  bacchanal  is  strange  and 
novel.  A  young,  healthy  person  is  induced  to  eat 
heartily  of  this  fungoid,  which  soon  produces  great 
exhilaration,  acts  vigorously  upon  the  renal  organs 
and  makes  the  young  Bacchalian  drunk  as  a  tiddler. 
While  in  this  much-desired  condition,  the  copious 
urinary  secretion  of  the  youthful  inebriate  is  solic 
ited  and  drank  with  avidity  by  his  companions  a-  a 
delicious  intoxicant. 

Place  this  nephritic  beverage  under  a  microscope, 
and,  most  strange  to  say,  it  is  found  full  of  infinitesi 
mal  fungi,  growths  which  have  propagated  in  the 
blood  in  an  hour's  time.  From  this  \\ell-aullicnti- 


THE    MYSTERY    SOLVED.  327 

cated  fact  physicians  may  obtain  valuable  data,  and 
thus  learn  the  manner  in  which  many  diseases  are 
propagated  from  one  deleterious  breath,  or  a  single 
particle  floating  in  the  air  during  contagious  diseases. 

A  boson's  chair  was  rigged  at  the  wreck  for  the 
purpose  of  hoisting  Dr.  Greville  up  to  the  cross- 
trees  to  make  observations  while  the  strange  phos 
phorescent  light  of  the  Fire  Cross  was  at  it  greatest 
brilliance,  and  the  result  was  very  satisfactory. 
When  examined  at  night,  during  the  height  of  elec 
tric  flood,  while  the  several  fungi  were  the  most 
luminous,  the  stamens  of  all  were  found  erect  and 
odorous,  developing  from  bud  to  bloom. 

Thus  the  strongest  light  was  emitted  while  the  fun- 
goids  were  growing  most  vigorously,  and  the  him  5- 
nation  waned  and  expired  when  the  plants  drooped 
and  wilted.  Further  examination  Avith  the  micro 
scope  showed  that  the  substance  which  emitted  light 
—  whatever  its  color  or  degree  of  luminosity  —  was 
similar  to  animal  phosphorescence.  Clusters  of  the 
principal  fungoid  were  taken  from  the  crosstrees 
when  the  light  was  most  brilliant,  carried  aboard, 
and  suspended  in  the  forecastle  and  cabin.  While 
it  remained  fresh  it  emitted  a  dull  phosphorescing 
light,  something  like  St.  Elmo's  tire,  when  perched 
upon  the  yard-arms  and  at  the  mast-heads. 

It  soon  withered  in  the  stifled  air  below  deck, 
and  then  the  light  dimmed  and  went  out.  When 
prompted  by  the  doctor,  the  officers  all  noticed  that 
its  presence  in  the  cabin  was  very  exhilarating  at 


THE    1SLK    OF    PALMS. 

first.  This  was  followed  by  a  powerful  reaction; 
for  after  a  few  hours'  test,  one  and  all  discovered 
that  they  were  becoming  greatly  depressed  from 
inhaling  its  rank  odor.  The '  renal  secretion  was 
greatly  increased,  and  as  odorous  as  when  one  has 
eaten  asparagus,  or  drank  lobelia  tea. 

It  was  this  simple,  eccentric  freak  of  nature  that 
had  so  greatly  terrified  the  Flcetwing's  crew.  It  had 
aroused  their  worst  superstitions,  and  they  were 
almost  mutinous,  until  all  wished  to  solve  the  unac 
countable  mystery.  The  light  of  the  Fire  Cross 
when  it  was  first  observed  seemed  to  be  at  the 
water's  edge  ;  approach  it,  and  it  would  rise  up  and 
disappear.  On  the  nights  when  it  shone  the  bright 
est  it  often  appeared  to  gradually  approach  the 
ship.  Launch  a  boat  and  pull  ashore,  and  the  light 
faded  before  your  eyes,  as  little  by  little  it  became 
hidden  by  the  intervening  foliage. 

Now  that  the  Fire  Cross  had  been  unriddled,  and 
the  ugly  sea-beast  destroyed,  the  themes  of  treas 
ure-hunting,  and  the  wonderful  water-girl  became 
the  nightly  topics  fore-and-aft  the  ship.  .Marvellous 
were  the  mermaid  stories  told  by  Uncle  Joe  and 
some  of  the  white-haired  seamen,  yet  no  one  on 
board  had  ever  seen  a  sea-girl  but  had  the  iish  ter 
minal,  so  that  little  Morete  took  the  palm,  as  heinir 
the  most  wonderful  of  the  species. 

In  spite  of  the  whirl  of  excitement  about  killing 
the  devil-fish  during  the  past  few  days,  (ireville  had 
been  to  the  AVeather  Point  several  times  without 


INTERVIEW    WITH    MORETE.  329 

seeing  the  mermaid.  She  always  became  so  shocked 
by  her  successive  frights  that  she  usually  kept 
secluded  for  days  after.  Probably  the  uproar  made 
by  the  explosion  had  frightened  her  more  than  all 
else.  But  when  the  doctor  returned  the  third  night 
after  a  futile  search,  the  captain  reported  having 
caught  a  glimpse  of  her  near  Bird's  Nest,  but  he  did 
not  think  best  to  permit  any  one,  other  than  the 
doctor,  to  approach  her. 

On  the  following  day,  after  the  gang  of  wreckers 
had  got  quietly  at  work,  Greville  sculled  himself  in 
among  the  motus  along  the  shore.  Not  seeing  any 
thing  to  attract  his  attention  about  Bird's  Nest,  he 
paddled  his  boat  quietly  along  the  beach,  and  landed 
at  the  orange  grove  abreast  of  the  Lullaby.  After 
long  watching,  the  persistent  man  began  to  fear  that 
he  should  not  accomplish  his  desire  to  secure  the 
sea-girl,  as  the  ship  would  soon  be  compelled  to  sail 
away  from  her  island  home. 

Tired  of  watching  through  the  sultry  hours,  it 
occurred  to  him  to  go  into  the  forest,  and  call  the 
pet  name,  which  she  loved  so  well.  Trying  a  few 
calls  among  the  motus,  before  he  went  into  the 
woods,  Morete  suddenly  emerged  out  from  under 
Lullaby  Isle,  much  to  his  surprise.  Staring  timidly 
about,  as  she  shook  the  wet  hair  from  her  face,  she 
cried  out  with  gladness  at  seeing  the  doctor,  "  Auwe 
aikane  !  "  and  swam  leaping  through  the  intervening 
water  like  a  frolicsome  porpoise.  Bounding  over 
the  coral  beach,  she  seized  the  extended  hands  of 


THE    ISLE    OF    I'ALMS. 


her  loved  companion,  who  rose  to  greet  her  with 
winning  smiles  and  gentle  words  of  welcome,  though 
neither  could  understand  a  word  which  the  other 
said. 

Just  then  a  wild  outcry  came  from  the  wreckers, 
caused  by  some  new  discovery  which  they  had 
dragged  to  the  light  of  day.  This  so  startled  the 
little  mermaid  that  she  sei/ed  Greville's  hand  and 
drew  him  hurriedly  away  into  the  forest,  trembling 
with  apprehension  of  evil.  They  soon  came  to  a 
pretty  nook  in  the  wild  wood,  sufficiently  secluded 
to  dispel  Morete's  morbid  sense  of  danger.  The 
pallor  soon  passed  from  her  terrified  face,  and  the 
look  of  anguish  slowly  faded  from  her  staring  eyes. 
When  a  full  sense  of  security  finally  possessed  her, 
a  flush  of  girlish  gladness  mantled  her  brown  cheeks, 
and  she  drew  her  companion  down  upon  the  matted 
leaves  and  nestled  confidingly  to  his  side. 

The  forest  seclusion  which  Morete  had  chosen  was 
cool  and  grateful  in  the  strong  heat  of  the  day. 
Though  the  torrid  sun  hung  like  a  ball  of  fire  over 
the  balsamic  woods  and  the  land-locked  bay,  little 
could  his  fierce  beams  penetrate  where  the  doctor 
sat,  for  the  few  finger-points  of  palpitating  fire  seen 
here  and  there  were  barely  sufficient  to  dispel  the 
sylvan  gloom.  About  these  little  gleams  of  vivid 
sunlight  there  congregated  the  singing  lizards  and 
chirping  crickets,  flashing  their  shining  armor  of 
green  and  gold  like  mimic  lightning  in  the  dusky 
covert. 


TIIK  AROMATIC  FOREST.  331 

Durino-   this    noontide    heat   the    Avoods    were    as 

O 

silent  as  at  midnight ;  hushed  were  the  thousand 
bird-songs  and  the  hideous  screeching  of  the  parrot 
tribes  ;  even  the  merry  trades  had  ceased  to  sing  in 
the  tree-tops,  they  had  lost  their  strength  of  wing, 
and  now  dropped  into  slumber.  And  it  were  not 
strange  that  the  all-pervading  hush  at  length  stole 
into  the  hearts  of  the  nestling  pair,  till  they  clung 
to  each  other  in  the  voiceless  ecstasy  of  lovers,— 
so  awed  by  the  spirit-presence  of  the  place. 

Who  can  describe  the  aromatic  odors  of  a  trop 
ical  forest  at  such  an  hour,  with  its  oozing  gums 
and  spicy  barks,  its  fragrant  fruits  and  sweet-scented 
flowers  —  palatable  accessories  to  ravish  the  soul 
with  their  delicious  perfumes  and  balsamic  exuda 
tions,  all  unknown  to  other  lands?  Where  they  sat 
the  tinted  leaves  outnumbered  the  rainbow  in  colors, 
while  the  gorgeous  tints  of  the  flowers  were  more 
brilliant  than  the  gaudy  hues  of  the  birds,  which 
they  seemed  to  pattern  from. 

The  time  and  place  were  most  favorable  for  Gre- 
ville  to  win  a  measure  of  yet  greater  trust  and  confi 
dence  from  Morete.  She  had  been  so  disturbed  by 
the  boisterous  outcries  of  the  wreckers  that  she  was 
now  less  animated  than  usual.  Not  much  did  she 
care  to  prattle  her  sweet  jangle  of  sounds  as  at  their 
last  meeting.  She  had  learned  then  that  her  loved 
friend  had  not  control  over  his  rude  shipmates, 
enough  to  keep  them  from  intruding  upon  her  pri 
vacy,  and  from  casting  lassoes  over  her  head.  This 


332  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

was  an  element  of  disadvantage  which  would  be  hard 
for  Greville  to  overcome,  especially  if  the  girl  remem 
bered  his  effeminacy  in  not  daring  to  climb  a  tree, 
or  plunge  with  her  into  the  breakers. 

Morete  sat  with  the  doctor's  idle  hand  held  fast 
between  her  two  tiny  palms,  gazing  earnestly  into 
his  eyes,  endeavoring  to  read  his  thoughts ;  intent 
as  a  naturalist  would  study  a  bird  or  flower.  De 
licious  reading  were  Morete's  own  questioning  eyes 
and  emotional  face,  as  she  knew  no  art  of  hiding 
love's  bewitching  thrills  and  unruly  heart-beats. 
Though  untamed  and  untutored  as  a  flsh  in  the  sea, 
the  girl  responded  to  an  intelligent  look  or  a  fond 
ling  touch  as  quickly  as  a  human  maiden. 

Let  the  doctor  but  speak  a  word  of  endearment, 
or  look  with  tenderness  upon  her,  —  and  there  were 
times  when  the  man's  heart  was  in  his  eyes,  —  and 
the  girl  would  tremble  with  delight  and  soften 
almost  to  tears.  AVhat  a  world  of  expression  would 
leap  into  her  great  languishing  eyes  as  she  watched 
the  loved  face  ;  eyes  dark  and  soft  and  dreamy, 
rather  than  lustrous,  opaque  and  piercing,  the  gen 
eral  characteristic  of  black  eyes.  When  most  at 
rest  there  was  a  tender,  pensive,  inner  light  in  Mo 
rete's  eyes,  like  that  seen  in  expressive  human  eyes 
when  in  spiritual  communion  with  heavenly  things. 
But  could  this  elfin  sea-girl  be  gifted  with  a  soul, 
other  than  such  a  soul  as  lies  hidden  in  the  core  of 
all  things,  the  vital  spark  in  the  drop  of  water,  the 
breath  of  air,  or  the  soul  exhaled  by  the  perfumed 
flower? 


MORETE'S  MENTAL  UNREST.  333 

But  there  was  another  and  more  frequent  expres 
sion  which  failed  not  to  sadden  the  heart  of  the  be 
holder,  and  made  Greville  murmur  a  silent  prayer, 
asking  God  to  temper  the  evils  of  life  to  this  shorn 
lamb.  This  look  of  deep,  inward  sorrow  came  over 
the  girl  at  the  slightest  disturbance  ;  the  restive  rust 
ling  of  the  palm  fronds  would  arouse  it ;  the  noisy 
shouts  of  the  ship's  people,  or  the  deep  soughing  of 
the  distant  breakers,  brought  that  look  of  anguish 
to  her  face  —  a  measure  of  mental  unrest  wild 
enough  to  be  mania.  Such  a  condition  of  mind  as 
compels  a  human  soul  to  cry  aloud  to  the  Father  for 
aid. 

What  could  this  mystery  be,  to  thus  haunt  and 
horrify  the  little  sea-girl  ?  It  was  a  grief  sufficient 
to  drive  her  from  the  home-places  under  the  sea  and 
the  companionship  of  her  species.  The  strange  phe 
nomenon  of  such  a  morbid  mental  condition  in  a 
mermaid  greatly  engrossed  Greville's  attention  when 
they  were  together. 

After  the  noonday  heat  had  abated,  Greville  led 
the  way  back  to  the  shore  to  induce  Morete  to  take 
a  seat  in  his  boat.  This  she  readily  did,  but  the  in 
stant  the  boat  was  floated  from  the  shore  she  leaped 
into  the  water.  Again  he  brought  the  boat  to  the 
beach  and  she  gladly  clambered  into  a  seat  beside  the 
doctor,  exclaiming  lovingly,  "  Maikai  oe!"  (good 
you). 

At  length  the  doctor  made  one  more  trial  before 
returning  to  the  ship.  It  was  a  venture  which  he 


334  TIIK    ISLi:    OF     I'ALMS. 

never  tried  again,  as  it  created  a  distrust  in  the  girl's 
mind  that  threatened  to  retrograde  all  his  past  labor. 
THiile  Morete  sat  lovingly  by  his  side,  showing  the 
liveliest  enjoyment  at  keeping  him  yet  a  little  lon 
ger,  he  folded  one  arm  closely  about  her  with  the 
view  to  detain  her  against  her  wishes.  So  far,  this 
did  not  displease  her  in  the  least.  But  when  with 
the  other  hand  he  seized  a  paddle  and  thrust  the 
boat  from  shore,  the  girl  struggled  desperately  for 
freedom.  Finding  herself  held  captive,  a  most  dis 
tressing  look  came  into  her  face  and  she  fought  like 
'an  imprisoned  seal. 

Not  deeming  it  prudent  to  retain  her  under  such 
circumstances,  Greville  loosed  his  hold  just  as  the 
boat  Avas  passing  Lullaby.  With  a  look  of  terror 
Morete  plunged  into  the  water  and  disappeared 
under  the  motu,  leaving  behind  a  tapering  white 
swirl  in  the  clear  water  leading  down  to  the  coral 
grottoes  beneath.  The  gleaming  sea-stars  flashed 
back  the  declining  sunlight  like  palpitating  opals, 
but  the  maiden,  Morete,  was  seen  no  more  for  the 
day. 

Thus,  day  after  day,  Greville  devoted  his  time  to 
winning  the  love  of  the  little  water-maid,  against  the 
coming  day  of  her  capture,  and  imprisonment  on 
board  the  Fleetwing.  They  spent  much  of  their 
time  in  the  orange  grove  on  the  border  of  the  bay, 
or  under  the  swaying  palm-trees  on  the  Point,  for  of 
all  her  pastimes  Morete  loved  best  to  disport  in  the 
gigantic  surf  on  the  windward  shore. 


MOKETE,    ON   THE   MOONLIT   SHORE.      Page   335. 


MORETE'S  SEASIDE  HAUNT.  335 

Morete  taught  the  doctor  her  own  devious  path 
from  the  bay-shore  to  the  sea,  and  when  she  could 
not  be  found  among  the  motus,  he  would  plunge 
into  the  forest  and  toil  through  the  dim  cathedral 
gloom  to  the  Weather  Point.  There  the  little  sea- 
girl  would  be  found  playing  with  the  fishes,  - 
her  only  aquatic  companions,  —  swimming  in  the 
breakers,  or  asleep  in  her  lofty  eerie  on  the  dead 
palm.  If  she  was  feeding  the  fishes  she  would  not 
leave  till  her  pleasant  task  was  completed,  but  she 
would  call  her  loved  friend  to  her  side,  and  when  he 
tarried  on  the  verge  of  the  shore  and  could  not  be 
persuaded  to  sit  with  her  in  the  water,  she  showed 
her  pique  in  a  very  human-like  way,  by  making  him 
wait  her  pleasure. 

Wherever  else  the  little  sea-girl  was  found  she 
would  always  come  quickly  at  the  doctor's  call,  for 
his  companionship  daily  grew  more  welcome  to  the 
aquatic  creature.  The  last  afternoon  they  spent 
upon  the  Point,  two  days  before  sailing,  was  one  of 
unalloyed  pleasure  to  Morete  ;  never  had  she  been 
in  such  a  pleasant  mood,  or  more  given  to  tender, 
affectionate  endearments. 

Though  the  day  was  fearfully  hot  in  the  harbor, 
a  cool  "and  grateful  breeze  pervaded  the  Point. 
Morete  was  found  lying  in  the  shade,  near  down 
upon  the  shore,  where  the  invisible  spray  blew  from 
the  crest  of  the  surf  and  kissed  her  hot  cheeks,  as 
she  sipped  the  honeyed  water  from  a  cocoa-nut- 
one  of  a  cluster  she  had  just  wrung  from  an  adjacent 


336  THE   ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

tree.  She  sprang  up  and  greeted  her  visitor  wilh 
unusual  ardor,  making  a  brave  attempt  to  kiss  her 
loved  companion  to  his  heart's  content,  proving  that 
the  delicious  art  of  osculation  can  be  attained  even 
by  an  aquatic  maiden. 

It  was  a  most  romantic  spot  which  Morete  had 
chosen  for  her  seaside  home.  Her  choice  had  been 
greatly  influenced  by  the  stupendous  surf,  which 
here  rolled  in  with  unusual  force  upon  the  shell- 
strewn  shore.  Above  them  swayed  the  bannered 
palms,  clattering  their  ever-refreshing  nuts  in  the 
wind,  and  whispering  soothing  lullabies  to  lovers' 
ears. 

About  them  on  the  forest  side  every  bough  was 
festooned  with  clambering  vines,  the  mimosa  and 
gardenia  growing  everywhere.  Most  notable  of  all 
was  the  yellow  jasmine,  which  climbed  to  the  top  of 
the  highest  trees  ;  twining  its  clinging  tendrils  among 
the  topmost  boughs,  it  leaped  skyward,  eager  as  a 
lark  at  morn.  Failing  to  find  aerial  support  in  the 
sky,  the  aspiring  vine  reluctantly  drooped  earthward 
again,  swaying  its  odorous  stars  of  gold  in  the  brisk 
trades,  like  the  incense  torches  of  a  bridal  train. 


CHAPTER    XXIX. 

CAPTURING    THE    MERMAID. 

AT  length  the  long-wished-for  day  of  sailing  was 
at  hand.  The  rich  hoard  of  Spanish  treasure 
had  been  transported  to  the  ship,  and  safely  stowed 
in  the  hold.  The  day  had  been  spent  in  bending  a 
new  suit  of  sails  to  the  freshly-painted  yards,  and 
newly-tarred  stays.  The  nimble  sailors  were  reeving 
new  running  rigging  fore-and-aft,  from  the  pliant 
whale-line,  which  Avould  be  used  for  such  purpose  no 
more . 

Numerous  boat-loads  of  the  various  fruits  were  to 
be  gathered  and  slung  to  the  stays  and  backstays. 
Nets  of  oranges,  lemons  and  limes  had  yet  to  be 
brought  off  and  suspended  beneath  the  tops  and 
over  the  stern.  Other  half-dozen  boat-loads  of  dry 
cocoa-nuts  were  required  to  fatten  the  pigs  and 
poultry  during  the  long  homeward  voyage ;  these 
were  tumbled  into  the  hold  to  make  the  best  stowage 
they  could  among  the  casks. 

During  the  evening's  talk  with  the  doctor  Captain 
Lawrence  had  announced  that  the  mermaid  must 

[337] 


338  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

now  be  got  on  board,  if  ever,  for  he  could  not  give 
but  one  day  more  for  the  purpose.  For  as  their 
stay  drew  near  to  a  close,  home-scenes  and  home- 
friends  naturally  became  the  topic,,  and  the  captain 
began  to  anticipate  the  warm  greetings  which  awaited 
him ;  especially  from  the  adorable  little  Nellie,  who 
was  gradually  assuming  a  strong  foothold  in  his 
heart,  to  the  exclusion  of  all  others. 

As  we  have  seen  in  the  last  chapter,  Greville  had 
frequently  managed  to  decoy  the  little  mermaid 
into  his  boat,  but  could  never  induce  her  to  abide  a 
minute  after  the  boat  was  set  afloat,  as  the  pretty 
creature  had  an  insane  horror  of  approaching  the 
ship,  where  she  had  been  treated  so  rudely.  Thus 
other  means  of  more  or  less  severity  must  now  be 
resorted  to,  if  the  Fleetwing  was  to  capture  and 
take  away  the  elfish  sea-girl. 

The  doctor  had  occupied  himself  in  the  past  week 
preparing  a  powerful  narcotic  by  which  to  paralyze 
the  mermaid,  when  the  iinal  time  came  to  capture 
her.  He  had  previously  given  much  time  and  re 
search  in  learning  the  least  dangerous  methods  of 
producing  complete  unconsciousness  ;  for  the  aiiais- 
thetics  of  the  present  day  were  not  then  much 
known.  Homer  had  sung  of  the  uses  of  nepenthe, 
and  IIoa-Tho,  the  great  Chinese  physician  of  the 
third  century,  had  taught  the  value  of  Indian  hemp, 
to  produce  partial  insensibility. 

But  nothing  of  that  kind  would  answer  in  Moivte's 
case;  and  after  many  interesting  experiments  the 


PREPARING    THE    POISON. 


339 


doctor  had  concluded  to  try  a  preparation  made  from  , 
the  yellow  jasmine,  Gelsemium  tiempervirens,  which 
was  found  to  have  eight  special  centres  of  paralytic 
action. 

The  jasmine  is  an  eccentric  poison,  and  produces 
two  quite  opposite  toxic  conditions  before  it  com 
pletes  the  required  lethal  state,  which  is  a  third 
and  secondary  affection.  It  is  both  a  tetanoid  and  a 
paralyzent ;  but  paralysis  of  the  spinal  cord  always 
precedes  the  tetanus,  and  the  voluntary  fibres  of 
motor  nerves  are  first  involved,  followed  by  the 
strangely  opposite  affection  of  spasms  in  the  various 
muscles  of  the  body  and  organs.  Lastly,  it  attacks 
the  involuntary,  or  automatic  nervous  action,  and 
causes  death. 

The  remedy  is  made  by  tincturing  a  handful  of 
the  fresh  young  roots  of  the  jasmine  in  double  its 
weight  of  strong  alcohol.  Macerate  this  saturate 
for  a  week,  and  it  makes  the  best  concentrated  tinct 
ure  of  Gelsemia.  When  properly  made,  with  roots 
full  of  sap,  the  tincture  is  a  clear  dark  red,  showing 
a  sparkling  bronze  color  to  the  vertical  eye  ;  and  it 
yields  the  physician  a  remedy  of  most  marvellous 
medicinal  action,  having  no  rival  in  whatever  direc 
tion  it  acts. 

When  possessed  of  the  required  remedy,  Greville 
diligently  sought  to  acquaint  himself  with  its  toxic 
power  and  methods  of  action,  which  are  always  a 
most  fascinating  research  for  a  man  of  science  ;  for 
the  pathogenesis  —  the  disease-making  power  — of 


340  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 


.  a   subtile  poison    is    as    interesting   to    the    student 
-  of  drugs  as  are    the  characteristics    of  a  renowned 
person. 

Next,   the   daring    physician    had    endeavored   to 

learn  some  of  its  antidotes  —  if  such  there  were 

by  which  to  abate  its  poisonous  effects  upon  the 
human  subject.  This  knowledge  could  only  be 
acquired  by  testing  the  poison  upon  himself  and 
others. 

He  began  with  small  doses,  frequently  repeated, 
and  sometimes  long  continued.  And  in  several  in 
stances  he  had  ventured  so  far  into  the  unknown 
domain  as  to  produce  paralysis  of  some  one  or  more 
members  of  the  body  ;  though  he  always  retained 
full  consciousness  through  it  all.  This  success  would 
induce  him  to  try  yet  larger  doses  in  his  next 
attempt. 

In  this  dilemma,  Captain  Lawrence  was  called  to 
administer  some  of  their  previously  supposed  anti 
dotal  remedies.  By  this  assiduous  and  oft  repeated 
use  of  the  remedy,  it  was  found  that  strong  coffee, 
or  a  tea  made  of  red  pepper,  would  gradually  over 
come  the  paralytic  condition  ;  and  further  experi 
ments  showed  that  galvanism  or  electricity  had  the 
most  desirable  effect  in  restoring  the  normal  con 
dition. 

Thus  equipped,  the  careful  physician  knew  before 
hand  the  exact  method  in  which  his  poison  would 
take  effect.  And  he  could  not  only  follow  the 
paralytic  action  from  nerve  to  nerve,  and  ganglia  to 


TESTING    THE    POISON.  341 

ganglia,  with  great  precision,  but  he  had  also  made 
the  most  scrupulous  calculations  just  how  near  to 
the  death-line  he  could  approach,  and  not  overstep 
the  bound  of  possible  resuscitation. 

Most  narcotic  poisons  are  too  dangerous  to  be 
tampered  with  in  this  manner.  Their  border-line  is 
too  slippery  ground  to  venture  upon.  Their  exact 
line  of  demarkation,  between  "To  be,  or  not  to 
be?"  cannot  be  approached  with  impunity,  by  even 
the  most  skilful. 

After  having  experimented  largely  upon  himself, 
and  in  some  measure  upon  the  captain  and  cabin 
boy,  for  even  they  found  great  fascination  in  watch 
ing  the  many  innocent  effects  of  the  remedy  — 
Greville  practised  upon  a  small  pig,  three  kittens, 
and  a  young  seal,  which  were  given  up  to  his  ten 
der  mercies.  Its  action  upon  these  lower  animals 
was  a  startling  revelation,  which  almost  made  the 
terrified  man  abandon  his  scheme ;  for  it  quickly 
killed  them  all  by  asphyxia. 

Both  Greville  and  the  captain  had  previously 
agreed  that  Gelsemia  first  spent  its  force  upon  man 
by  paralyzing  the  motor  nerves,  doing  this  in  an 
easy,  gradual  manner  that  was  harmless,  with  the 
proper  antidote  at  hand ;  for,  so  far,  it  had  not 
greatly  implicated  the  heart  or  lungs,  or  depressed 
the  circulation  of  the  blood  ;  while  the  nerves  of 
sensibility  did  not  become  affected  till  the  very  last, 
when  the  death-line  was  closely  approximated. 

The  first  and  most  marked  toxical  effect  upon  man 


TIIK  ISLP;  OF  PALMS. 

is  on  the  eyes.  Vertigo  is  soon  followed  by  stag 
gering.  Then  comes  dimness  of  sight,  and  double 
vision.  The  diplopia  is  succeeded  by  ptosis,  or 
paralysis  of  the  upper  lids  ;  then  the  eyeballs  begin 
to  oscillate  from  side  to  side,  and  partial  loss  of 
sight  slowly  supervenes,  showing  that  the  spinal 
cord  has  at  length  become  involved. 

Why  then  should  the  poison  act  so  differently 
upon  lower  animals?  It  quickly  suspended  respira 
tion,  and  stopped  heart  action,  until  they  died  from 
asphyxia ;  even  before  the  central  motor  nerves 
were  in  the  least  affected.  The  pupils  of  the  ani 
mals  were  contracted  to  a  pin's  point,  and  did  not 
dilate  —  as  in  man  —  until  the  animals  were  stricken 
with  death. 

This  discovery  had  a  most  depressing  effect  upon 
Dr.  Greville.  For  if  mermaids  were  to  be  ranked 
among  lower  animals,  he  could  not  hope  to  produce 
anaesthesia  upon  Morete,  short  of  the  moribund 
state  ;  and  he  had  not  yet  found  an  antidote  that 
would  resuscitate  the  animals  when  in  that  condi 
tion. 

After  passing  a  sleepless  night,  the  doctor  pre 
sented  himself  at  breakfast  with  a  truly  liairirard 
appearance.  But  for  the  captain's  raillery,  and  his 
own  disinclination  to  make  known  the  affection  he 
bore  the  little  sea-girl,  he  would  have  made  no 
further  move  to  capture  the  mermaid. 

As  it  was  Morete's  day  to  be  in  the  harbor, 
Greville  reluctantly  paddled  his  boat  in  to  the  beach, 


A    SYLVAN    TEMPLE.  343 

though  it  was  not  Morete's  custom  to  'cave  the 
Weather  Point  till  later  in  the  day.  Xot  finding 
her  in  the  orange  grove,  the  doctor  paddled  along 
side  the  fallen  trunk  which  comprised  Lullaby  Isle, 
seeking  some  flowers  from  a  rare  rose-tree  growing 
on  the  floating  isle.  lie  had  often  been  deterred 

.  O 

from  making  this  exploration  in  fear  of  the  brambles 
and  impassable  Amines  that  hampered  the  place. 

Walking  along  the  prostrate  trunk  of  the  fallen 
tree,  he  forced  himself  with  difficulty  through  the 
tangled  undergrowth,  till  he  reached  the  coveted 
roses  with  torn  clothes  and  scratched  hands.  He 
was  amazed  to  discover  a  cleared  place  in  the  centre 
of  the  motu,  arched  over  by  the  climbing  rose-tree, 
and  embowered  with  mimosa  and  jasmine  vines, 
which  had  thickly  interlaced  the  topmost  foliage  of 
the  sea-tossed  isle. 

Heart-sick  as  he  was,  Greville  was  delighted  to 
have  thus  stumbled  upon  the  sanctuary  of  his  little 
sea-goddess.  It  was  a  sylvan  temple  of  exquisite 
beauty,  with  a  flooring  thick-strewn  with  dried 
flowers.  The  place  was  made  densely  fragrant  by  a 
mingled  odor  of  roses  and  the  large  yellow  jasmines, 
together  with  the  flavor  of  ripe  custard  apples,  and 
other  palatable  hoards  upon  the  fruit-bearing  shrubs. 
Both  flowers  and  fruit  were  more  numerous  and  rare 
than  upon  any  other  motu,  probably  growing  from 
seeds  which  Morete  had  brought  there  in  past  years. 

The  entrance  of  this  charming  bower  was  a  hole 
up  through  the  centre  from  beneath,  so  small  that  it 


344  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

came  near  being  overlooked.  This  water-hatch  gave 
place  to  a  cool  draught  up  through  the  flooring  from 
the  shaded  space  below.  This  cunningly  contrived 
place  accounted  for  Morete's  diving  so  frequently 
under  the  motu,  when  the  Fleetwing's  people  sup 
posed  she  had  descended  to  some  coral  cave  in  the 
bay.  And  it  was  here  that  the  captain  had  so  often 
seen  her  girlish  face  peering  out  from  among  the 
trailing  vines  which  fringe  the  motu  along  the  water 
front. 

Greville  spent  several  hours  in  the  pretty  haunt 
of  his  darling,  brooding  over  the  unpleasant  scheme 
which  he  had  contemplated.  At  length  he  arose 
and  was  about  to  return  by  the  way  he  came,  when 
his  attention  was  attracted  by  a  little  splash  under 
the  motu,  and  up  bobbed  the  head  of  Murete. 

The  face  of  the  little  sea-girl  wore  a  puzzled  look, 
never  to  be  forgotten.  A  mixed  expression  of  joy 
and  alarm,  such  as  might  well  be  expected  when  a 
timid  maiden  finds  a  gentleman  caller  in  her  boudoir 
unannounced.  The  frightened  look  gave  place  to  a 
transport  of  delight,  and  Morete  sprang  up  through 
the  inlet  with  an  outburst  of  joy.  And  never  was 
Greville  so  glad  to  see  her.  She  threw  her  arms 
about  his  neck  without  waiting  to  wring  the  water 
from  her  hair,  and  it  was  long  before  the  happy 
creature  could  abate  her  delight. 

While  the  blushing  girl  was  busy  drying  her  hair, 
and  oiling  it  with  the  fragrant  manoe  nut,  she  chatted 
with  her  lover  like  a  magpie,  so  curious  was  she  as 


MORETE'S  BOWER  or  HOSES.  345 

to  how  he  came  there.  She  evidently  questioned 
him  to  know  if  he  came  in  through  her  entrance,  or 
over  the  top  of  the  shrubbery,  not  deeming  it  possi 
ble  to  penetrate  the  thick  barricade  of  briars. 

The  pretty  minx  seemed  very  proud  of  her  first 
gentleman  visitor,  and  when  her  hair  was  dressed, 
she  assumed  many  of  the  pretty  airs  of  a  younir 
housekeeper.  She  adroitly  tidied  up  the  drooping 
vines,  where  the  doctor  had  carelessly  culled  her 
flowers ;  picked  up  the  thorns  and  broken  stems 
which  thoughtless  men  strew  about  the  house,  and 
ended  by  smoothing  down  the  strewn  roses  and 
hibiscus  blossoms  upon  her  tessellated  floor. 

Greville  could  not  but  admire  the  willowy  form 
and  physical  beauty  of  his  little  Morete  as  she  stood 
there  before  him  in  her  bower  of  roses.  Her  face  at 
that  moment  was  made  all  the  more  bewitching  by 
the  added  charm  of  enamored  girlhood.  Her  lips 
were  apart,  showing  her  small  white  teeth,  as  she 
smiled  in  sweet  abandon  upon  her  loved  companion. 
Never  had  the  doctor  seen  the  girl  appear  so  win 
some,  standing  there  with  her  bosom  heaving  with 
pent-up  emotions,  which  she  could  not  repress,  and 
the  love  of  the  tender-hearted  man  went  forth  to  her 
as  never  before. 

But  Avhen  he  dwelt  upon  the  horrible  task  before 
him,  he  cowered  and  grew  pale  at  the  thought  of 
the  fell  deed.  So  great  was  his  agitation  while 
pondering  the  subject,  that  he  could  not  but  disclose 
his  guilt  to  the  victim.  The  eyes  of  the  intuitive 


346  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

girl  detected  the  first  shade  of  sadness  that  flitted 
over  the  face  of  her  lover.  Clasping  his  hand  in  her 
own  tiny  palms,  she  plied  him  witlv  looks  of  love 
and  girlish  endearments  ;  pressing  his  cold  hand  to 
her  hot  cheeks,  and  holding  it  fast  to  her  throbbing 
heart,  she  sat  before  him  with  swimming  eyes, 
watching  to  learn  the  source  of  his.  sudden  sorrow. 

An  hour  of  cowardly  irresolution  thus  passed, 
and  Greville  could  not  determine  whether  to  aban 
don  or  undertake  the  tragic  task.  At  length  he 
made  a  move  to  go,  intent  upon  escaping  the  search 
ing  glances  of  the  innocent  young  creature  by  his 
side,  lest  with  her  keen  intuition  she  should  detect 
the  premeditated  crime  against  her  liberty,  perhaps 
her  life.  Standing  with  her  hands  upon  his  shoul 
ders,  Morete  gazed  up  into  her  lover's  face  with  pit 
eous  appeals  to  deter  his  going.  Her  large,  soft 
eyes  were  beaming  with  unutterable  love,  which  her 
tongue  could  not  utter. 

Guilt  is  a  base  thing,  and  will  not  down  at  the 
bidding.  As  Greville  could  not  control  himself 
enough  to  enact  the  murderous  scene,  he  put  the 
clinging  arms  of  the  loved  young  creature  tenderly 
from  about  him,  and  forced  his  way  through  tin1 
tangled  undergrowth  in  spite  of  thorns  and  briars. 
He  left  Morete  grieving  in  her  sylvan  bower,  and 
the  harassed  man  was  glad  to  shut  out  her  lustrous 
eyes,  which  had  so  belittled  him  with  their  pity, 
making  his  fell  purpose  burn  like  a  hot  iron  in  his 
soul. 


THE    GUILT-STRICKEX    MAX.  347 

lie  thought  to  leave  the  aggrieved  girl  in  her  nest 
ing  place  while  he  sought  the  forest  gloom,  hoping  to 
subdue  the  kindred  darkness  in  his  soul.  But  he 
was  not  versed  in  maiden-love  to  suppose  that  the 
ardent  child  of  the  sea  would  remain  behind  because 
he  bade  her.  Greville  sprang  into  his  boat,  loosed 
the  warp  from  the  fallen  trunk,  seized  the  paddle, 
and  while  propelling  his  craft  to  the  shore,  saw  Mo- 
rete  come  leaping  up  to  the  surface  from  under  the 
motu,  —  as  a  bird  with  folded  wings  drops  down 
from  the  sky.  Placing  her  dimpled  hand  on  the 
gunwale,  she  swam  by  the  side  of  the  retreating 
boat  till  it  reached  the  beach. 

When  the  doctor  stepped  ashore,  Morete  ran  to 
him  and  caught  his  hand,  her  face  radiant  with  joy 
to  think  that  he  would  tarry  yet  a  while  beneath  her 
fostering  care.  A  few  hours'  rambling  in  the  sombre 
forest,  during  the  midday  heat,  served  to  fortify  and 
nerve  the  doctor  sufficiently  to  undertake  his  many- 
sided  deed  of  peril.  The  poor  sophist  falsely  flat 
tered  himself  with  the  fallacious  argument  that  he 
was  about  to  do  an  apparent  wrong  for  the  great 
good  which  would  come  from  his  cruel  act. 

Together  the  t\vo  finally  wandered  back  to  the 
boat.  It  was  mid-afternoon,  and  two  of  the  ship's 
boats  had  just  shoved  out  from  the  shore  deeply 
loaded  with  hand-picked  oranges  from  the  grove 
near  Lullaby.  Seating  themselves  in  the  stern- 
sheets,  with  the  keel  just  grounded  on  the  beach,  an 
unbent  boat-sail  to  recline  upon,  and  an  awning 


348  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

overhead  to  prevent  fatal  congestion  from  the  fiery 
heat  of  the  sun,  the  time  for  the  perfidious  act  had 
come. 

Greville  made  his  final  preparations  with  the  cool 
ness  of  an  old-time  headsman  —  like  one  who  feels 
the  dagger's  point  before  he  strikes  the  fatal  blow. 
The  face  of  this  man  of  science  was  now  bland  and 
smiling,  his  voice  soft  and  soothing ;  for  he  had 
again  become  enthralled  with  the  strange  fascina 
tion  of  testing  a  deadly  poison,  whether  upon  one's 
self  or  another.  He  toyed  playfully  with  his  vic 
tim  to  wholly  dispossess  her  mind  of  any  lingering 
thought  of  evil;  for  mental  depression  i  <  a  poison 
in  itself,  and  would  certainly  insure  a  fatal  result  in 
the  present  case. 

Greville  had  previously  paved  the  way  for  this 
event,  at  their  several  last  meetings,  by  feeding  the 
girl  freely  with  common  brown  sugar,  to  which  he 
would  gradually  add  a  touch  of  bitter  to  accustom 
her  to  the  jasmine  taste.  The  poisoned  confection 
was  made  to  simulate  the  other  sugars  in  appear 
ance  ;  but  while  its  fragrance  is  most  grateful  to  all, 
its  aromatic  bitterness  is  most  unpalatable  to  many. 

Placing  a  pretty  box,  filled  with  the  subtile  poi 
son,  in  Morete's  lap,  —  which,  like  many  another 
evil,  bore  no  look  of  guile,  —  the  doctor  began  the 
tragic  act,  which  was  to  paralyze  and  stupefy  the 
girl,  by  taking  a  pinch  of  the  prepared  sugar  him 
self,  leaving  his  unsuspecting  victim  to  eat  unasked  : 
for  even  conscience  has  her  tricks  of  doing  evil  un- 


ADMINISTERING    POISON.  349 

wittingly.  The  doctor's  example  was  enough  for 
Morete,  and  she  began  aptly  to  eat  the  sugary  peril. 
Yet  the  very  newness  of  the  taste  made  the  first  dose 
linger  suspiciously  on  the  girl's  dainty  lips,  while 
she  flashed  a  swift,  questioning  look  upon  her  com 
panion.  But  the  die  was  cast !  The  doctor  met 
her  gaze  with  unruffled  calmness,  took  another  dose 
himself,  and  smiled  upon  the  alarmed  girl  with  ex 
quisite  deception,  in  answer  to  her  questioning  eyes. 

Morete  again  followed  the  example  of  her  loved 
companion.  But  as  the  subtile  flavor  yet  dwelt  un 
pleasantly  on  her  palate,  her  noble  lover  took  still 
another  dose  in  an  absent  manner,  smacking  his  lips 
with  a  show  of  relish,  to  make  assurance  doubly 
strong.  Whom  we  most  love  can  most  easily 
deceive  us.  Dr.  Greville's  affability  and  coolness 
made  him  a  worthy  disciple  of  the  Medicean  meth 
ods,  and  should  truly  entitle  him  to  the  "  six  red 
balls  on  a  field  of  gold." 

Holding  fast  to  the  doctor's  hand,  Morete  ate 
freely  of  the  Gelsemia,  behaving  with  becoming 
propriety  to  the  end,  though  she  would  frequently 
turn  abruptly  to  search  his  gray  eyes,  doting  upon 
the  loving  looks  which  his  pitying  heart  beamed 
down  upon  her.  Had  the  eye  of  her  premeditating 
murderer  quailed,  the  half  suspicious  girl  would 
doubtless  have  desisted  from  aiding  in  her  own  un 
doing. 

Thus  the  two  sat  in  the  boat,  side  by  side,  sur 
rounded  by  the  orange  trees,  where  the  plumy  palms 


350  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

leaned  high  above  their  heads,  mute  witnesses  of  the 
cruel  deed,  —  a  lover  dispensing  poison  to  one  he 
loved.  The  first  effect  noticed  by  the  watchful 
physician  was  the  gradual  slowing  down  of  the  radial 
pulse,  as  Morete's  wrist  lay  passively  beneath  his 
index  finger.  This  was  the  first  token  of  alarm,  for 
the  circulation  of  man  is  never  much  depressed. 
The  heart  became  greatly  agitated,  and  the  girl's  res 
piration  labored  more  than  it  ought. 

Grevillc's  heart  beat  hard  in  response  to  that  of  his 
victim.  The  poison  was  working  quickly,  much  as 
it  had  done  with  the  animals,  with  the  dread  infalli 
bility  of  death.  Twenty  minutes  passed,  leaving  the 
doctor  in  a  degree  of  doubt  which  was  agonizing  to 
bear.  Then  Morete  began  to  brush  the  glimmering 
mists  from  before  her  eyes,  and  reach  out  her  rosy 
fingers  to  clutch  the  visionary  cobwebs  in  the  air, 
which  were  but  harmless  symptoms.  Then  the  del 
icate  strawberry  tint  faded  slowly  out  of  the  pretty 
lips,  and  a  dusky  blueness  crept  in,  in  its  stead. 
The  girl's  hands  grew  cold  and  colder,  purpling  last 
beneath  the  nails,  and  a  quick  shudder  ran  through 
the  frame  of  the  pitiable  creature  as  she  nestled 
confidingly  against  her  companion,  in  search  of  sym 
pathy  and  warmth. 

Tears  streamed  down  the  doctor's  face  as  lie  awoke 
to  the  full  horror  of  the  deed,  and  the  courage  of  the 
man  of  science  almost  forsook  him.  What  to  him, 
now,  was  the  fame  which  he  might  win  with  the  nat 
uralists,  or  the  cold  commendation  of  the  world  ! 


DYING    IN    HIS    ARMS.  351 

The  darling  object  of  his  affections  lay  dying  in  his 
arms.  What  though  she  was  but  a  water-girl,  it 
was  enough  that  he  loved  her;  better  a  thousand 
times  than  man  can  love  his  horse  or  his  dog.  In 
that  dread  moment  he  found  that  he  loved  her  as 
though  she  were  human. 

He  threw  his  arms  about  her  in  a  tempest  of  pas 
sion  with  himself.  He  breathed  into  her  gaping 
mouth  to  aid  her  struggling  respiration.  And  he 
chafed  and  kneaded  the  region  of  the  heart,  to 
quicken  its  sluggish  movement.  He  held  her  tightly 
to  his  own  beating  heart,  to  warm  her  cold  and 
almost  rigid  body  into  life  again. 

Suddenly,  in  the  midst  of  these  endearments, 
Morete  carried  her  hand  to  the  region  of  the  heart, 
and  clutched  the  bosom  as  if  in  pain,  while  her  face 
assumed  an  anxious,  agonizing  look,  in  place  of  her 
recent  tranquil  appearance.  This  admonished  Gre- 
ville  that  the  final  terrific  heart  spasms  were  about 
to  take  place  ;  cardiac  symptoms,  which  created  a 
feeling  in  the  men  provers  that,  "My  heart  will 
stop  beating  if  I  don't  move  about."  Truly  alarm 
ing  symptoms  to  the  recipient,  though  they  are 
removed  in  an  instant  by  physical  motion  and 
muscular  activity. 

Thus  forewarned  the  watchful  physician  was  not 
surprised  when  this  frightful  cardiac  disturbance 
came  upon  Morete.  She  suddenly  sprang  up  with  a 
wild  outcry,  and  leaped  to  the  shore  to  regain  her 
suspended  breath,  and  apparently  with  the  intention 


352  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

of  taking  to  the  water  ;  but  the  act  of  sadden  motion 
quickly  restored  the  automatic  action  of  heart  and 
lungs,  quickened  the  circulation,  and  reddened  the 
pallid  lips  again. 

Not  a  muscle  moved  in  the  mobile  face  of  the  man 
of  science  to  intimate  his  complicity  in  this  fiendish 
act.  With  a  smile,  and  a  bland,  gentle  voice,  he 
called  Morete  back  to  her  nesting  place  by  his  side. 
She  came  with  a  wondering  look  at  what  had  tran 
spired,  showing  that  inherent  yearning  for  masculine 
sympathy  which  predominates  the  gentler  sex,  - 
whether  brute  or  biped,  —  and  gladly  nestled  beside 
her  tormenter,  and  soon  assumed  her  former  quie 
tude  again. 

To  Greville's  skilful  eye  there  now  seemed  to  be 
no  more  fear  of  spasms,  or  paresis  of  the  heart,  for 
the  strong  reaction  of  the  organ  made  it  thump 
within  the  girl's  breast  like  a  billow  against  the 
vessel's  side.  The  result  of  this  painful  experience 
made  it  conclusive  to  the  doctor  that,  however  other 
mermaids  might  be  classed  by  naturalist,  Morete 
was  certainly  not  one  of  the  lower  animals  ;  for  she 
had  escaped  the  fatal  asphyxia,  and  thus  far  many  of 
the  toxic  effects  of  Gelsemia  were  such  as  happened 
to  the  doctor  himself. 

In  further  proof  that  his  dear  little  Morete  was  not 
a  brute,  like  the  pig  or  the  seal,  the  pupils  of  her 
eyes  now  began  to  dilate  largely  ;  while  with  all  the 
animals,  the  pupils  contracted  to  a  pin's  point. 
Being  thus  fully  convinced  in  this  matter,  Oreville 


OPTICAL    ILLUSIONS.  353 

began  to  steadily  ply  the  Gelsemia  again  to  complete 
his  task. 

With  some  degree  of  compunction,  the  artful  phy 
sician  now  took  a  pinch  of  the  sugared  poison  as  an 
intimation  that  it  was  a  cure  for  all  ills.  His  exam 
ple  was  instantly  followed  by  Morete,  from  an  in 
nate  feeling  in  us  all  that  when  in  pain  AVO  must  do 
something  —  do  anything  —  for  remedial  nid. 

It  Avas  not  long  before  the  peach-bloom  in  Morete's 
cheeks  began  to  fade,  the  rose-leaves  died  from  her 
lips  and  the  dusky  hue  of  death  spread  over  her  face 
once  more.  For  a  while  the  remedy  was  stopped, 
for  Greville  had  fully  determined  never  again  to  risk 
the  life  of  his  darling,  whom  he  now  loved  better 
than  ever. 

The  eye  symptoms  now  began  to  develop,  coming 
to  a  climax  as  perfectly  as  with  the  three  provers  on 
board  the  ship.  First,  diplopia  set  in  and  every 
thing  showed  double  ;  double  heads,  double  doctors. 
Looking  at  the  sugar-box  she  beheld  two  boxes,  and 
often  reached  for  the  delusive  one  for  her  honeyed 
poison.  The  hand  she  used  appeared  as  two  little 
dimpled  palms  with  ten  pink  digits.  With  a  silvery 
laugh,  which  was  sweet  as  music  to  the  doctor's  ears, 
the  girl  called  forth  the  right  hand  to  inspect  the 
twin  hands  upon  the  left ;  and  lo  !  to  her  girlish 
wonderment,  there  appeared  four  hands  fumbling 
for  the  box  instead  of  two.  Full  of  childish  merri 
ment  at  these  strange  optical  illusions,  Morete 
turned  trustfully  to  her  loved  companion  for  an 


354  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

explanation,  and  behold  there  were  two  friendly 
faces  looking  down  into  her  luminous  eyes. 

After  a  half  hour  of  these  amusing  freaks  several 
doses  of  the  remedy  were  administered,  which  in 
duced  the  eyeballs  to  oscillate  severely  from  side  to 
side,  whenever  Morete  made  a  strong  endeavor  to 
examine  some  blurred  object.  This  symptom  made 
it  evident  that  a  touch  of  amaurosis  had  set  in. 
Before  she  became  accustomed  to  one  delusion, 
another  equally  strange  took  place. 

Presently  such  a  degree  of  shimmering  wave- 
motion  began  to  fill  the  atmosphere  that  it  appeared 
to  the  girl  like  rolling  water.  Suddenly,  with  a  most 
natural  movement,  Morete  leaned  forward  with  out 
stretched  hands  and  endeavored  to  swim  up  to  the 
surface.  Feeling  no  watery  element  to  resist  her 
hands  she  seemed  amazed  at  the  delusion,  and  with 
a  puzzled  look  turned  to  the  doctor  and  hid  her  face 
with  shame  upon  his  breast. 

In  another  brief  half  hour  ptosis  set  in  —  paralysis 
of  the  levator  muscles — and  the  eyelids  drooped 
over  the  languid  eyes,  finally  closing  so  that  the 
long,  black  lashes  lay  pencilled  on  her  olive  cheeks. 
This  did  not  create  any  uneasiness  in  the  girl ;  she 
seemed  to  think  it  was  only  drowsiness,  and  like  a 
sleepy  child  she  crept  more  closely  into  the  arms  of 
him  she  loved  so  dearly,  not  in  the  least  suspecting 
his  deceptive  friendship. 

The  afternoon  was  advancing,  and  Greville  saw 
that  the  tragic  scene  must  be  pushed  to  a  cI<>M>. 


.     THE    GRIM    TRAGEDY.  355 

For  a  time  the  Gelsemia  was  given  in  larger  doses 
and  more  frequently  repeated.  It  was  not  long 
before  the  delusions  which  had  served  to  make 
merriment  were  wholly  subdued.  Grim  and  gaunt 
was  the  spectral  hand  that  now  clutched  the  vital 
life  of  the  maiden.  Link  after  link  every  motor 
nerve  soon  yielded  to  the  subtile  power  of  the 
remedy.  Paresis  of  the  eyelids  was  soon  followed 
by  paralysis  of  the  tongue  and  vocal  chords,  leaving 
the  pretty  warbler  without  further  power  to  talk  or 
sing. 

These  paretic  conditions  came  upon  Morete  so 
suddenly  that  they  aroused  her  fears,  and  she  turned 
an  appealing  face  upon  the  doctor.  But  her  eyelids 
refused  to  open  and  disclose  her  ambushed  eyes. 
This  increased  her  fear  and  compelled  her  to  pluck 
up  one  lid  with  her  fingers,  that  she  might  cast  a 
reproving  glance  upon  the  twin  faces  above  her. 
One  face,  a  total  delusion  ;  the  other,  false  alike  to 
the  love  and  confidence  which  she  bestowed  upon  it. 
The  right  hand  soon  refused  to  uphold  the  lid  and 
dropped  paralyzed  by  her  side.  This  left  her  in 
darkness  and  compelled  her  to  use  the  left  hand  to 
assist  in  seeing.  The  next  toxic  effect  of  the  poison 
acted  diagonally,  —  similar  to  lobelia,  —  going  across 
from  the  right  arm  to  the  left  leg,  which  was  para 
lyzed  in  an  instant. 

Morete  was  just  in  time  to  witness  a  triumphant 
look  fiush  over  Greville's  face.  The  exultant  man 
knew  the  pathogenesis  of  his  poison  all  too  well. 


356  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

Until  that  instant,  considerable  strength  remained  in 
the  girl's  limbs ;  enough  so  that  she  could  at  any 
time  have  leaped  into  the  water  and  escaped  to  her 
bower.  Now  the  left  leg  was  powerless.  This  was 
determined  by  the  prick  of  a.  pin.  The  same  test 
applied  to  the  right  leg  caused  an  indignant  response, 
which  would  have  broken  the  doctor's  ribs  had  he 
received  the  blow.  Peering  out  from  under  Morete's 
one  lifted  lid,  there  now  came  the  saddest  and  most 
heart-breaking  look  of  all ;  and  it  brought  the  hot 
tears  into  the  eyes  of  her  tormenter. 

"  Drop-hand"  paralysis  now  seized  upon  Morete's 
left  hand,  till  it  dropped  lifeless  ;  and  she  was  again 
deprived  of  the  power  of  seeing.  This  last  mishap 
shut  out  the  sunny  sky  from  her  view,  perhaps  for 
ever.  The  bending  trees  that  murmured  sweetly  in 
the  breeze  were  hidden.  And  above  all,  the  loved 
face,  upon  which  she  doted  with  a  measure  of  love 
that  was  almost  human,  could  be  seen  no  more. 

Though  Morete  appeared  to  be  hovering  so  near 
the  border-line  of  death  that  the  trembling  balance 
almost  kicked  the  beam,  still  the  pulseless  creature 
retained  her  sensibility.  While  Greville's  original 
plan  was  to  produce  unconsciousness,  lest  it  should 
craze  the  timid  thing  to  imprison  her,  yet  her  wreck 
was  already  so  cruel  and  complete  that  he  might  well 
hesitate  to  use  further  active  measures.  As  lie  wit 
nessed  her  deplorable  condition,  he  half  relented  the 
inhuman  deed.  Folding  the  corpse-like  girl  tenderly 
in  his  arms,  he  whispered  gentle,  soothing  words  in 


THE    DEAD    SEA-GIRL.  357 

her  car ;  and  mourned  over  the  cold,  p:ilc  creature 
as  a  mother  might  mourn  the  death  of  her  first-born. 

Thus  he  sat  and  wept,  and  watched  the  almost 
imperceptible  changes  going  on  in  the  dying  life- 
current.  Saw  the  girl's  shapely  head  become  too 
heavy  for  her  swan-like  neck  to  bear,  droop  and  fall 
helpless  upon  his  arm.  Then  her  lips  became  pur 
ple  and  parted  till  her  pearly  teeth  lay  bare  ;  while 
her  breath  grew  fainter,  coming  at  increasing  inter 
vals,  till  each  gasp  seemed  to  be  her  last.  At  length 
the  tear-blinded  man  saw  Morete's  last  remnant  of 
strength  depart;  waning  little  by  little,  it  flickered 
for  an  instant  like  an  expiring  taper  and  went  out. 
Her  little  frame  quivered  and  he  felt  her  grow  rigid 
in  the  final  spasm  of  death. 

Fearing  lest  this  was  irredeemable  death  which 
lay  so  lovingly  in  his  arms,  Greville  lost  heart  when 
contemplating  his  crime  and  began  pleading  pitc- 
ously  for  Divine  aid  in  this  hour  of  peril.  At  length, 
overcoming  his  grief  and  mastering  his  contrition, 
he  wrapped  the  girl's  long  silky  hair  carefully  about 
her  shapely  limbs.  Taking  off  his  flannel  sacque,  he 
put  it  upon  his  darling,  to  further  shield  her  loved 
form  from  view  of  unhallowed  eyes.  For  criminal 
as  he  was,  he  could  not  permit  another  to  look  upon 
the  dead  sea-girl  as  he  had  done. 

Tenderly  and  lovingly  he  laid  the  limp  form  out 
on  the  cushioned  sail  and  folded  it  carefully  about 
her,  leaving  only  her  sweet  young  face  free  to  the 
air.  Believing  that  Morete  would  never  rally  to  life 


358  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

again,  Greville  delayed  going  aboard  that  he  might 
offer  one  Jast  earnest  prayer  for  mercy.  And  he 
yet  shrank  from  exhibiting  his  grief  or  his  love  to 
other  eyes,  while  he  shuddered  at  the  thought  of 
becoming  the  butt  of  his  rude  forecastle  shipmates, 
like  old  Tom  and  his  ilk. 

But  the  day  was  drawing  to  a  close  and  he  could 
tarry  no  longer.  He  rose  from  his  knees  and  went 
forward,  and  set  a  blue  waif  in  the  bow,  a  signal 
which  had  been  agreed  upon  with  the  captain  if  the 
mermaid  was  captured.  Pushing  the  boat  quietly 
from  the  shore,  Greville  plied  his  paddle  with  care, 
gliding  noiselessly  over  the  placid  bay  in  the  direc 
tion  of  the  Fleet  wing. 

With  haggard  face  and  unnerved  arm  the  half- 
dazed  man  worked  his  paddle  like  one  in  a  dream. 
Such  was  his  mental  aberration  for  the  moment,  that 
he  could  not  forbear  casting  many  a  furtive  glance 
into  the  sea  beneath,  apprehensive  lest  some  bearded 
monster  might  appear  and  claim  the  dead  girl  as  his 
o\vn  again. 

It  was  a  time  of  day  when  the  western  forest  be 
gan  to  cast  long,  ominous  shadows  out  over  the  hya 
line  bay,  though  the  lingering  sunset  still  illuininah  d 
the  coral  bottom  beneath  the  boat,  and  gilded  its 
flimsy  battlements  and  castellated  walls  with  aque 
ous  gold.  Piercing  down  into  the  dim  sandy 
reaches  and  piscatory  travel-ways  the  Hashing  sun 
beams  emblazoned  the  bottom  with  glow. 

The  sea  everywhere'   savors   of  romance,   even   in 


THE    BABY    DEVIL-FISHES.  359 

our  own'unpropitious  clime.  But  here,  in  the  bland 
tropics  where  nature  is  most  prolific,  man's  spirit 
ever  lives  a-tip-toe  in  his  calmest  moods.  Thus, 
awed  by  his  own  reflections,  and  his  possible  crime, 
with  trembling  hand  Greville  frequently  lifted  the 
kerchief  that  veiled  the  dead  girl's  face  ;  listening, 
while  his  heart  stood  still,  for  the  restored  respira 
tion  of  his  darling.  Dipping  his  paddle-blade  cau 
tiously  in  the  windless  water,  with  an  aspect  akin 
to  fear,  Greville  cowered  at  seeing  his  own  image 
reflected  in  the  glassy  bay. 

While  passing  over  the  sunken  ' '  case  "  of  Mocha 
Dick,  out  scrambled  the  five  new-born  devil-fishes, 
attracted  by  the  passing  shadow  of  the  boat.  One 
of  the  embryo  monsters,  more  nimble  than  his  fellow 
imps,  sprang  up  to  the  surface  and  seized  the  gun 
wale  with  three  of  his  tentacles,  careening  the 
boat  so  as  to  rock  the  dead  girl  rudely. 

Horrified  at  the  intrusion,  with  three  quick  strokes 
of  his  paddle  on  the  slimy  claws  the  doctor  made 
the  young  whelp  withdraw.  But  not  for  long,  for 
at  some  signal  or  cry  of  pain  communicated  to  the 
others,  the  whole  four  savage  creatures  also  came 
in  chase  of  the  boat.  AVhcn  the  five  claw-handed 
beasts  seized  upon  the  gunwales,  Greville  called 
lustily  for  help  —  believing  that  the  deserved  retri 
bution  had  overtaken  him  —  though  he  fought  bravely 
Avith  his  paddle  till  assistance  came. 

Two  boats  pulled  quickly  to  his  relief,  though 
barely  in  time  to  prevent  Greville  from  being  cap- 


;>!>!)  THI:  ISLI:  OF  PALMS. 

sized  with  his  precious  freight.  Owing  to  the  sea- 
beasts  attacking  birth-  gunwales  at  once,  one  Bel 
counteracted  the  other,  till  Braybrook  and  Uncle 
Joe  arrived.  Armed  with  long  cutting  spades, 
the  crews  soon  succeeded  in  cutting  the  whole  five 
beast-whelps  to  pieces,  happily  for  other  ships,  that 
might  make  a  port  at  the  Isle  of  Palms  in  coming 
years.  For  no  vessel  could  stand  the  attack  of  five 
full-grown  monsters  of  the  kind. 

When  the  blue  waif  was  discovered  drooping  from 
its  staff  at  the  bow  of  Greville's  boat,  great  was  the 
stir  and  excitement  on  board  the  Flcetwing.  The 
men  were  mustered  aft,  ready  to  hoist  the  boat  and 
the  captured  mermaid  when  she  came  alongside. 
Thus,  when  the  decapods  attacked  the  doctor,  the 
crew  were  at  hand  to  quickly  man  the  other  boats 
and  pull  to  his  rescue. 

As  Greville  ran  his  boat  under  the  ship's  quarter 
the  davit-tackles  were  swung  out  over  the  bow  and 
stern,  and  u  nimble  sailor  slid  down  each  tackle-tall 
to  hook  on  for  hoisting.  In  another  minute  the  boat 
swuni*  clear  of  the  water  and  was  rapidly  ascending 
to  the  davit-heads,  amidst  the  wild  shouts  of  a  cheery 
hoisting  song.  Then  the  mate  bellowed  lustily  in 
a  roaring  voice  to  the  men,  <k  Avast  hoi-ting  !  Put 
the  boat  on  the  cranes,"  making  a  rumpus,  as  tin 
sailors  say,  sufficient  to  "awake  the  dead."  Tin 
noise  truly  did  make  the  apparently  dead  girl  quixei 
from  head  to  foot,  for  Morete  had  not  shown  a  sign 
of  life  until  the  boat  was  hoisted  nearly  up  to  its 
place. 


RESUSCITATION.  361 

Just  then  the  doctor  bared  the  girl's  face,  while 
preparing  to  take  her  aboard,  and  was  astonished  to 
discover  a  positive  look  of  alarm  where  all  had  pre 
viously  been  placid  as  marble.  The  flexor  muscle 
of  her  least  paralyzed  leg  was  seen  to  visibly  swell 
and  contract,  showing  a  strong  futile  effort  to  flex 
the  limb  and  get  up. 

When  the  bout  was  securely  griped  on  the  cranes, 
Captain  Lawrence  was  told  what  had  happened. 
He  immediately  ordered  the  men,  who  were  crowd 
ing  noisily  about,  to  disperse  quietly,  and  make  no 
noise  for  the  present.  Then  Greville  took  the  semi 
conscious  girl  in  his  arms  and  lulled  and  soothed  the 
trembling  creature  into  complete  placidity  again. 
This  accomplished,  he  folded  the  sail  about  the  limp 
form,  carried  her  gently  into  the  cabin,  and  laid  her 
in  the  berth  of  an  after  stateroom,  previously  pre 
pared  for  her  receptic  n. 

At  Greville's  request,  Captain  Lawrence  excluded 
from  the  after  cabin  all  others  but  himself  and 
Uncle  Joe,  for  both  the  officers  and  crew  were  very 
eager  to  be  entertained  with  a  side-show,  now  that 
the  mermaid  was  in  the  toils  of  the  showman.  This, 
Greville  had  determined  should  not  be  permitted, 
and  the  captain  readily  sided  Avith  the  physician, 
when  he  learned  the  doctor's  tender  sentiments  about 
the  girl. 

Then  began  the  formidable  task  of  resuscitation. 
Could  the  dead  be  made  to  live  again?  was  a  ques 
tion  no  one  could  answer  in  the  affirmative.  When 


3G2  .     THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

Greville  first  saw  Morete's  alarmed  face,  and  discov 
ered  that  a  vital  spark  of  the  God-given  life  still 
lingered  in  her  marble  clay,  it  seemed  as  if  a  Divine 
word  had  been  audibly  whispered  in  his  ear.  His 
heart  was  made  strong  with  renewed  confidence  in 
his  skill  and  he  was  premonished  of  victory. 

Link  by  link  the  skilled  physician  had  now  to 
unlock  the  deathly  chain  that  held  Morete  in  bond 
age.  He  must  recover  the  corpse-like  creature  from 
her  chill,  lethal  state,  in  the  exact  retrograde  of  her 
cruel  imprisonment.  Herein  lies  the  most  profound 
example  of  exact  prognosis  found  in  medical  lore  ; 
wherein  the  morbid  effects  in  administering  a  poi 
son  may  be  predicted  without  the  slightest  deviation, 
and  where  —  more  wonderful  still — the  antidotal 
recuperant  will  act  with  equal  celerity  and  certitude 
in  rallying  the  moribund  subject  back  into  life 
unharmed. 

The  pathogenesis  —  or  disease-producing  effect  —  of 
no  remedy  can  be  so  beautifully  exemplified  as  that 
ofGclsemia.  This  implies  that  its  curative  proper 
ties  in  counteracting  morbid  conditions  and  natural 
diseases  are  equally  positive,  novel  and  unique. 

By  the  remedial  aid  of  Gelscmia  many  of  those 
unnatural  physical  sufferings  which  most  keenly 
awaken  the  sympathy  of  mankind  —  maternity  — 
may  be  alleviated  in  an  instant,  and  made  effective  in 
an  hour.  It  can  be  used  almost  to  the  exclusion  of 
those  clumsy,  life-crippling  instruments,  properly 
called  for  only  in  some  abnormal  conditions,  or  a 
true  malformation. 


THE    BEAUTIFUL    CHRYSALIS.  363 

Would  that  this  appeal  might  be  emblazoned  upon 
the  banners  of  the  world,  for  a  greater  truth  never 
confronted  a  more  criminal  ignorance.  Attest  it, 
ye  child-bearers  of  my  country,  who  break  like  a 
girdled  reed  —  not  bow  to  rise  again  —  in  the  first 
harvest  wind  that  bends  the  ripened  grain. 

When  Morete  was  placed  in  her  berth  and  disen 
cumbered  of  the  sail,  Greville  began  his  restorative 
labor  upon  the  statuesque  form.  She  lay  breathless 
and  cold,  her  ghastly  pallor  contrasting  strangely 
with  the  raven  blackness  of  her  hair.  Her  eyes 
were  closed,  her  lips  were  parted  and  her  mouth 
agape  ;  and  it  was  only  by  the  slightest  sobbing  pul 
sation  of  the  heart,  caught  by  the  attentive  ear  upon 
the  breast,  that  even  an  expert  could  distinguish  a 
sign  of  life  in  the  beautiful  chrysalis. 

Drop  by  drop  the  anxious  doctor  placed  his  anti 
dotal  stimulant  upon  the  girl's  rigid  tongue  ;  this  he 
continued  fast  as  the  liquid  could  be  absorbed, 
while  the  captain  kept  up  a  vigorous  hand  friction 
at  the  base  of  the  brain,  downward  along  the  spine, 
and  upon  the  palms  and  soles  of  the  feet.  For  an 
hour  the  two  men  labored  unceasingly,  without  seeing 
the  slightest  appearance  of  life  to  repay  their  exer 
tions  ;  yet  it  was  not  labor  lost,  for  the  tongue 
was  made  less  rigid,  the  face  less  pale  and  the  body 
less  cold.  Still,  to  the  inexperienced  eye,  the  girl 
appeared  a  corpse  as  much  as  ever. 

After  a  half  hour's  respite,  another  hour  was  given 
to  these  gentle  magnetic  manipulations,  which  in- 


364  THE    ISLK    OF     PALMS. 

duced  a  faint  sigh  from  the  girl,  together  with  a 
slight  gurgling  noise  at  the  heart,  followed  by  a  few 
irregular  beats.  It  was  now  deemed  time  to  apply 
the  lightest  possible  touches  of  electricity,  judiciously 
used  only  through  the  hand  of  the  operator. 

The  electric  current  acted  quickly.  The  fingers 
moved  and  the  right  leg  flexed  strongly  upon  the 
abdomen  in  an  instant.  The  eyelids  showed  a 
tremulous  motion,  and  the  body  quivered  as  with  a 
sudden  chill.  Just  here  the  skilled  applicant  was 
content  to  stop,  fully  satisfied  with  the  energetic 
response  he  had  obtained,  well  knowing  that  danger 
lies  in  over-anxious  haste,  through  sudden  reaction. 

The  tongue  of  the  little  sea-girl  had  now  become 
relaxed  sufficiently  for  Greville  to  draw  it  out  and  free 
the  glottis  from  froth  and  tenacious  sputa,  which  the 
remedy  had  induced  to  flow  from  the  salivary  glands. 
When  this  was  accomplished,  the  doctor  closed  the 
nostrils  and  forced  his  own  warm  breath  into  the 
girl's  lungs.  This  important  accessory  treatment 
was  repeated  at  frequent  intervals. 

No  further  use  of  the  battery  was  deemed  expe 
dient.  Occasional  friction,  and  frequent  use  of  the 
capsicum  internally  were  continued  until  the  circula 
tion  was  fairly  established.  In  three  hours  from  the 
beginning  of  treatment  the  heart  action  was  regular, 
but  weak  and  easily  agitated  by  a  noise  or  a  jar. 
Mow  and  then  an  irregular  sighing  showed  that  the 
were  gradually  freeing  themselves  from  the 


THE    SEA-GIUL    IS    SAVED.  oG5 

paretic  condition.     Thus  the   dead  girl  was   slowly 
and  steadily  warming  back  into  approximate  life. 

This  was  as  far  as  the  careful  physician  wished  to 
proceed  for  the  present,  as  the  ship  was  to  sail  in 
the  early  morning,  when  the  noise  of  weighing 
anchor  and  making  sail,  the  rattling  cable  and  the 
confused  din  of  cordage  and  blocks,  would  serve 
to  craze  one  so  timid  and  sensitive  as  Morete.  The 
doctor  motioned  the  captain  away,  and  quietly  closed 
the  stateroom  door.  Calling  to  Uncle  Joe,  who  was 
wrestling  in  prayer  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  cabin, 
Grevillc  bade  him  make  no  more  outcry,  for  the  death- 
bond  was  broken,  and  the  little  sea-girl  was  saved. 
The  saintly  old  man  intimated  that  mediation  with 
the  Lord  had  clone  more  to  save  her  than  medical 
skill  —  and  who  can  tell  ? 


CHAPTER    XXX. 

HOMEWARD    BOUND. 

THROUGHOUT  the  day  the  Fleetwing  had 
teemed  like  a  beehive,  alow  and  aloft,  with 
busy  labor.  The  song  and  chorus  of  the  seamen 
while  reeving  rigging  aloft  among  the  masts  and 
yards,  and  the  stentorian  shouts  of  the  imperious 
mates,  had  filled  the  harbor  with  boisterous  voices, 
till  the  forest  glades  and  coral  shores  had  echoed 
back  with  responses  of  gladness, — as  when  Eden 
newly  awaked  to  the  voice  of  primal  man. 

Now  the  hand  of  toil  is  idle.  The  evening  meal 
is  passed.  The  dog-watch  gossips  are  abroad  ;  and 
the  three  usual  groups  of  men  —  in  t ripple  grades 
strong  as  Hindoo  castes  —  have  gathered  in  social 
clusters  at  the  bow,  the  stern,  and  in  the  intermedi 
ate  waist,  amidships.  Resting  from  their  labors, 
one  and  all  sit  peering  out  from  their  fruit-laden 
bower  among  the  bird-covered  boughs,  up  through 
their  only  outlet  to  the  sky,  now  tilled  with  palpitat 
ing  stars. 

Twilight  deepens  quickly  in  the  tropics.      Swalhy 

[3(56] 


TILE    EVE    OF    SAILING.  367 

Night  strides  up  the  orient,  swiftly  pursued  by  the 
advancing  shadows.  The  earliest  stars  ever  sur 
prise  the  beholder  by  their  suddenness,  as  each  pale 
and  pensile  orb  throbs  out  through  the  swift-gather 
ing  gloom.  To-night  the  blinking,  star-beams  peer 
down  through  the  skyward  apertures,  —  like  children 
from  a  door  ajar,  —  pallid  with  awe  as  they  watch 
with  wide-eyed  gaze  to  behold  the  mysterious  dark 
ness  roll  noiseless  up  the  ocean  road. 

Profound  and  peaceful  is  the  delicious  sense  of 
calm  that  drops  down  over  all  in  the  mellow  hour  of 
twilight.  An  hour  since,  the  myriad  birds  were 
chanting  their  vesper  hymns,  —  a  jubilous  chorus  to 
the  solemn  anthem  of  the  sea,  the  variant  voices  of 
the  cooing  trades  and  murmuring  trees.  Now  tha 
wind  and  Avaves  have  sung  themselves  to  sleep, 
companion  playmates  throughout  the  livelong  day  ; 
and  the  fronds  of  the  swaying  palms  have  hushed 
their  drooping  plumes  to  slumber,  till  they  stand 
along  the  shore  in  the  dusky  twilight  like  sombre 
nuns  bowed  in  evening  prayer. 

At  early  dawn  the  Fleetwing  will  spread  her  long- 
folded  wings  to  the  breeze  and  flit  away  over  the 
western  sea  ;  and  few  if  any  of  her  loving  subjects 
will  ever  behold  the  Isle  of  Palms  again.  Like  the 
pensive  feelings  of  regret  which  we  endure  when 
parting  with  a  human  friend,  was  the  kindred  sad 
ness  of  the  ship's  people  at  the  thought  of  leaving 
this  enchanting  scene. 

Here  they  had  found  a  friendly  haven  when  the 


3G8  THE    LSL.K    OF    PALMS. 

vessel  was  in  a  crippled  condition.  A  providential 
shelter,  which  had  saved  the  lives  of  all,  for  the 
crushed  ship  could  not  have  survived  the  typhoon 
she  subsequently  encountered.  Not  only  safety  had 
been  proffered  the  battered  ship  and  her  wounded 
crew,  but  millions  of  wealth  and  months  of  joy 
ous  pleasuring  among  luscious  fruits  and  fragrant 
flowers. 

During  the  evening  the  doctor  related  the  cir 
cumstances  of  his  capturing  Morete,  which  all  were 
eager  to  hear.  lie  dwelt  long  upon  the  terrible 
compunctions  he  endured  from  fears  of  killing  the 
girl  in  his  attempt  to  secure  her.  It  was  an  awe- 
inspiring  theme  when  he  graphically  portrayed  the 
frightful  and  deadly  effect  which  the  poison  had  upon 
the  strong  vitality  of  the  girl.  He  expressed  great 
relief  that  she  was  secured  without  harm  being  done 
to  her,  and  ended  by  inducing  Captain  Lawrence  to 
promise  him  that  no  other  person  should  assume 
control  over  the  sensitive  creature,  which  was  readily 
conceded. 

Numerous  were  the  plans  made  for  the  future  dur 
ing  the  evening's  talk.  Many  told  what  they  would 
do  with  their  gold  when  once  they  were  established 
ashore.  Braybrook  vowed  that  lie  would  wed  the 
first  dark-eyed,  curly-headed  girl  that  came  athwart 
his  hawse  ;  bank  his  money  and  go  west  on  a  farm,  so 
far  away  from  the  sea  that  he  could  never  smell  salt 
water  again.  How  prophetic  this  man's  idle  talk 
proved,  as  the  future  history  of  Braybrook  deter- 


JACK'S    FUTURE    PLANS. 


369 


mined,  for  he  married  the  dark-eyed  daughter  of  the 
English  consul  at  St.  Helena,  went  west  and  became 
a  landholder  in  Michigan. 

The  mate's  innocent  allusion  to  dark-eyed  girls 
appeared  to  be  personal,  and  struck  home  to  the 
heart  of  the  meditative  captain,  and  he  was  silent 
and  subdued  during  the  rest  of  the  evening.  Thus 
the  gossiping  mates  did  not  elicit  the  captain's  plans 
for  future  investments. 

Some  of  the  boatsteerers  were  heard  relating 
where  they  would  build  their  cottages  by  the  sea  ; 
making  choice  of  various  places,  from  the  rugged 
cliffs  of  Marblehcad  to  the  beautiful  sand  hills  of 
dear  old  'Tucket.  None  among  them  all  seemed  to 
aspire  to  the  show  and  grandeur  commensurate  with 
their  wealth. 

Among  the  seamen,  Tom  Crawford  was  easily 
induced  to  recount  some  of  his  profound  plans  for 
the  future.  He  meant  to  buy  a  clipper  schooner; 
sheath  her  bottom  with  number  one  copper,  to  last 
a  life-time  ;  freight  her  with  plenty  of  jimcracks, 
pipes,  rum  and  tobacco,  for  native  trade  ;  ship  old 
Buntline  for  his  mate,  and  come  out  and  colonize  the 
Isle  of  Palms,  of  which  he  would  be  the  governor. 
He  further  disclosed  some  of  his  ulterior  views  on 
colonization  ;.  he  would  buy  plenty  of  shark-hooks 
and  lassoes,  and  catch  mermaids  for  the  home 
colony,  including  specimens  for  Barnum.  Tom  was 
evidently  as  deeply  smitten  with  Morete  as  the 
doctor. 


370 


T1IK    ISLK    OF    PALAIS. 


Since  their  vast  accession  of  wealth,  of  course 
there  was  no  more  thought  of  continuing  the  voyage. 
Captain  Lawrence  had  long  since  decided  to  sail  di 
rect  for  Hong  Kong.  There  he  would  dispose  of  the 
treasure  for  bills  of  exchange  on  New  York  or  Lon 
don,  and  perhaps  purchase  a  cargo  of  silks  and  teas 
at  Canton  ;  something  suitable  for  the  home  market. 
The  night  passed  silent  and  tranquil  as  a  lover's 
dream.  Morete  rested  easily,  in  an  unconscious 
state;  her  heart-beat  and  respiration  growing 
stronger  through  the  night.  She  was  in  a  condition 
to  be  easily  brought  out  of  her  trance-like  state 
when  the  proper  time  came  to  complete  her  cure. 

Morning  dawned  sweetly  upon  the  day  of  sailing. 
The  officers  and  some  of  the  crew  had  been  early 
astir,  wishing  to  partake  of  a  meditative  smoke  and 
hoard  up  a  last  look  of  the  sylvan  beauties  of  the 
place.  For  the  little  haven  had  been  to  them  a 
timely  shelter,  and  aside  from  their  good  fortune  in 
finding  the  Spanish  wreck,  most  of  the  seamen  were 
warmly  attached  to  the  pretty  Isle. 

It  is  the  nature  of  prosaic  man  to  cling  to  his 
frigid,  rock-bound  home  ;  and  not  one  of  all  these 
sea-worn  mariners  but  would  now  willingly  leave 
this  fairest  of  tropic  isles  to  the  birds  and  the  breeze 
which  they  found  in  possession.  Thus  the  clement s 
which  comprise  a  home  are  not  wholly  made  up  of  a 
sunny  clime,  prolific  groves  or  fruit-bearing  trees 
and  odorous  flowers;  not  merely  a  place  to  plc:i>c 
the  eye  with  sylvan  beauty,  enough  almost  to  draw 


UNCLE    JOE'S    LAST    PRAYER.  371 

Ihe  angels  down,  but  it  is  a  homespun  thing  of  heart 
strings —  torn  and  trampled  though  they  be.  The 
home-love  of  these  rugged  New  England  seamen  was 
elastic  enough  to  permit  a  hemisphere  to  thrust  in 
between  them  and  their  hearth-stone,  but  strong  as 
cables  to  draw  them  back  ugain. 

It  was  one  of  those  clear,  breezeless  mornings, 
when  the  night-roving  perfumes  from  the  aromatic 
forest  linger  lazily  on  folded  wing,  seeking  to  coquette 
a  while  with  the  salmon-colored  dawn  ;  a  day  so 
tender  in  tint  and  tone  that  all  things  in  nature 
seemed  melodized  for  the  happiness  of  man.  The 
slumbering  birds  had  not  yet  awakened  to  greet  the 
coming  day,  nor  had  the  chirping  crickets  or  singing 
lizards  abated  their  nightly  bugle  notes  —  though 
warned  by  the  increasing  tumult  of  the  breakers  of 
the  approaching  day. 

Early  as  it  was,  good  old  Uncle  Joe  had  long  been 
absent  from  the  ship,  praying  on  the  Bird's  Nest. 
The  pious  soul  could  not  forbear  to  once  more  render 
thanks  to  the  Heavenly  Father,  mindful  of  God's 
watchful  care  and  the  groat  good  fortune  bestowed 
upon  the  Fleetwing.  Not  for  himself  had  Joe  Bailey 
asked  for  riches,  for  his  days  were  numbered,  and 
he  had  dwelt  so  long  upon  the  sea  that  he  had 
acquired  wealth  enough  and  to  spare  for  many  a 
charitable  cause. 

It  was  in  the  interest  of  others  that  the  saintly 
old  man  sculled  out  in  the  darkness  to  kneel  beside 
the  vine-covered  coffins  of  his  shipmates.  There 


372  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

he  prayed  among  the  dewy  foliage  and    the  fresh- 
blooming  flowers,   in  his  simple,  child-like  way, 

prayers    that    seemed    strangely   acceptable    to    the 
Divine  ear. 

The  first  bird-notes  that  awoke  the  other  songsters 
of  the  forest  came  from  a  little  brown  linnet,  perched 
among  the  ticking  leaves  of  the  clock-plant,  just 
above  the  hoary  head  of  the  penitent  pleader.  In 
after  years  Mr.  Bailey  often  spoke  of  this  sudden 
bird-song,  bursting  in  upon  his  laboring  soul  like 
some  spirit  voice  in  answer  to  his  prayer. 

The  prophetic  visions  disclosed  to  the  wizard  eye 
of  Uncle  Joe  during  this  solemn  midnight  prayer, 
were  made  known  to  no  one  until  long  after.  The 
predictions  were  so  strange  and  improbable,  that 
even  the  aged  augur  could  not  credit  the  portentous 
events ;  yet  they  all  came  to  pass.  But  it  was 
noticed  in  the  coming  days  that  Bailey  was  much 
occupied  with  trance-like  reveries,  in  which  some 
terrible  premonition  weighed  upon  his  mind.  It 
was  feared  that  the  grim  seer  had  made  some  omi 
nous  forecast  about  the  captain  ;  for  his  weird  ira/e 
was  often  fixed  in  solemn  pre-occupation  upon 
his  loved  commander.  At  such  times  the  tender 
hearted  man  would  choke  with  emotion,  and  tears 
would  stream  down  the  corrugated  channels  of  his 
wrinkled  face,  while  his  lips  quivered  with  inaudible 
prayer. 

The  heavy  thump  of  a  handspike,  pounding  three 
times  upon  the  forecastle  deck,   was  the  signal  for 


"  WE'RE  HOME'AHD  BOUND."  373 

the  slumbering  crew  to  muster  up  to  the  duties  of  the 
Jay.  The  thundering  voice  of  the  handspike  was 
supplemented  by  the  sonorous  cry  of  Tom  Crawford 
calling  down  the  companion-way,  "  All  hands  aUoy  ! 
Muster  up,  we're  home'ard  bound  !  "  An  announce 
ment  that  electrified  every  soul  in  the  ship. 

Without  waiting  for  breakfast,  sails  were  loosed, 
and  the  slack  cable  hove  in  until  the  anchor  hung 
apeak ;  then  the  topsails  were  sheeted  home,  and 
hoisted  with  many  a  spontaneous  burst  of  song,  until 
even  the  tiny  skysail  was  seen  flattering  among  the 
tree-tops,  like  the  last  pennant  of  gay  ribbon  a  full- 
rigged  lassie  pins  to  her  hair. 

One  of  Tom's  extemporized  ditties  will  denote  the 
sentiment  of  the  hour  :  — 

"  Home'ard  bound  !  home'ard  bound  ! 

O'er  ther  breeze  an'  ther  breakers, 
Bearin'  treasure  we've  found 

Fur  ther  gals  who  will  take  us,  — 
God  furgive  who  fursake  us. 

"  Oft  ther  gals  who  fursake  us, 

Havin'  larned  we  'ave  gold, 
Am  ther  gals  who  will  take  us, 

Though  they  long  have  been  cold. 
Ay  !  ther  false,  who  fursake  us, 

Love  us  dearly,  wid  gold ! " 

When    all    sail    was    set,   leeches    and    foot-ropes 
bowsed  taut  as  harp-strings,  then  the  windlass  was 
manned,   the    anchor  hove    to   the   bow   and 


374  Tin:   ISLK  OF  I'ALMS. 

catted,  amidst  the  wildest  shouts  of  jubilation. 
Hastening  from  the  windlass  and  the  cat-tackle,  the 
merry  Fleetwing  sprang  to  the  tow-lines,  fastened 
to  the  trees  on  each  side  of  the  inlet,  and  carefully 
warped  the  ship  out  through  the  yielding  boughs 
that  barred  the  passage  with  their  long  plumy 
leaves,  verily  like  friendly  hands  enticing  the  ship 
to  remain. 

When  the  vessel  drew  slowly  out  through  the 
narrow  entrance,  one  by  one  her  white  sails  iilled  to. 
the  rising  breeze.  First  the  tiny  skysail  caught  the 
morning  trades,  swelling  its  exultant  bosom  like  a 
bird  ere  it  bursts  into  song.  Then  the  three  royals 
and  top-gallant  sails  filled,  as  with  a  bound  of  joy. 
And  as  the  Fleetwing  fairly  freed  herself  from  the 
encroaching  trees,  and  men  cut  the  two  tow-lines  as 
they  passed,  then  the  great  topsails  took  the  wind 
full  and  fair  upon  their  taut  canvas,  and  put  their 
broad  shoulders  to  the  homeward  task. 

Once  fairly  out  into  the  open  sea,  and  it  became 
doubtful  about  the  ship's  weathering  the  reef-point 
without  tacking.  She  was  put  upon  a  taut  bowline, 
and  kept  touch-and-go  to  the  trades,  but  even  then 
she  would  not  avoid  a  dangerous  proximity  to  the 
jutting  reef. 

Here  was  a  dilemma,  for  sailors  are  superstitious 
about  tacking  to  avoid  the  first  danger  after  leaving 

port.     Like    a    woman's   whims    about    iroin<r    back 

•        <~* 

to  the  house  after  some  forgotten    thing.      Taptain 
Lawrence  was  walking  on  the  cabin-deck,  as  much 


MAKING    A    HALF-BOARD.  375 

annoyed  by  the  occurrence  as  any  Jack  of  them  all. 
He  finally  resorted  to  one  of  those  nice  points  of 
seamanship  known  as  a  "  half-board." 

Hailing  Tom  Crawford,  whose  towering  figure 
was  most  often  seen  at  the  helm  on  all  critical  occa 
sions,  the  captain  bade  him  : 

4 'Take  the  wheel,  Tom,  and  humor  the  lassie  by 
a  few  half-boards,  to  pass  that  reef." 

"Ay,  ay,  sir!  Ther  boys  wuz  moughty  feared 
you'd  tack  ther  critter  round,  an' spile  ther  luck  o' 
ther  home'ard  voy'ge." 

"Oh,  they  were,  ha?  They  are  a  superstitious 
set.  Now  keep  her  rap-full  for  a  minute  and  gather 
headway  for  a  half-board." 

"Full  it  am,  sir.  She  acts  ar  bit  awry,  fust  off, 
like  ar  'oman  ilauntin'  'er  new  bunit  'fore  ther  parson 
on  Sabber-day." 

"Yes,  I  see  she  does.  Now  luff  her.  A  few- 
spokes  at  a  time,  for  she  frets  at  the  bridle  after 
her  long  pasturing  among  the  palm-trees." 

"Luff  it  am,  sir.  She's  ar  mettlesum  jade,  an' 
springs  'er  luff  too  quick.  Mought  it  be,  sir,  thet 
she  am  ar  trifle  by  ther  head  ?  an'  is  hankerin'  fur 
'nother  millon  <>'  gold  in  'er  run  ?  " 

"Perhaps  so,  Tom.  But  she'll  be  all  the  more 
weatherly,  working  out  through  the  trades,  on  a 
wind.  Up  your  helm,  and  keep  away  before  she 
loses  her  speed.  Steady,  as  you  go.  Flutter  the 
leech  of  the  skysail  a  trifle." 

"Ay,  ay,  sir." 


376  THK    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

"How's  that  for  a  weather  gauge,  Mr.  ]>rav- 
brook?  "  lie  hailed  to  the  mate,  perched  on  the  fore- 
topsail  yard. 

"  She'll  hardly  pass  free  yet,  sir." 

"Give  her  another  half-board,  Tom;  we  don't 
want  to  risk  this  pretty  cargo  of  ours." 

"  'Nuther  board  'tis,  sir."  Tom  again  eased  away 
the  wheel  a  fe\v  spokes  and  forced  the  vessel  straight 
into  the  wind's  eye,  and  before  her  headway  was 
gone,  he  up  helm  and  kept  her  away  by  the  wind 
once  more. 

"Ease  your  helm,  and  throw  her  up  again,  Tom." 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir  !  " 

And  once  again  the  fleet  ship  fluttered  her  white 
plumage  in  the  eye  of  the  wind,  —  as  a  lordly  eagle 
shakes  his  pinions  when  disdainfully  weathering  a 
crag, — then  filled  away  and  ran  swiftly  by  the 
obtruding  danger,  having  gained  an  offing  by  her 
own  vast  momentum,  part  of  her  burthen  being 
silver  and  gold. 

Once  past  the  jutting  coral  and  the  yards  were 
squared  in  as  the  ship  was  kept  before  the  wind, 
along  a  western  course  which  held  the  white-lipped 
breakers  close  aboard.  When  the  Fleetwing  drew 
out  from  under  the  island,  and  took  the  unimpeded 
trades  upon  her  quarter,  her  course  was  shaped  W . 
by  N.  for  the  Pelews,  and  her  studding-sails  were 
set  to  quicken  her  speed  and  get  her  fully  used  to 
the  harness. 


AROUSING   MORETE.  377 

Greville  had  been  called  out  the  previous  midnight 
to  assume  watch  over  Morete.  Bailey  had  kept 
watch  over  the  sleeping  girl  until  then,  when  he  took 
a  boat  and  paddled  ashore  to  pray-out  the  remainder 
of  the  night  on  Bird's  Nest.  The  doctor  found 
Morete  reposing  in  a  restful,  quiet  sleep.  The 
rhythmical  beat  of  the  heart  had  become  almost 
normal,  and  while  the  respiration  was  regular,  it 
still  continued  slow  and  weak.  This  denoted  that 
the  paralytic  lesion  yet  lingered  in  considerable 
force  about  the  pneumogastric  and  phrenic  nerves, 
ut  their  source,  near  the  base  of  the  brain. 

The  skilled  eye  of  the  physician  soon  compre 
hended  where  the  difficulty  lay  and  saw  that  a  slight 
touch  of  the  electric  current  at  the  source  of  trouble 
would  l)e  all-sufficient  to  bring  the  patient  into  full 
consciousness  again.  But  Greville's  object  was  to 
keep  the  wild  creature  in  a  syncopic  state  through 
the  night,  and  until  the  ship  was  fairly  at  sea  and 
quiet  restored  on  deck. 

Now  that  the  Fleetwing  had  squared  away  along 
the  barrier-reef,  the  doctor  set  himself  to  the  task 
of  a  final  restoration.  It  chanced  to  be  Mr.  Bailey's 
forenoon  watch  below,  and  though  he  had  been  up 
watching  and  praying  throughout  the  night,  the 
tender-hearted  old  man  willingly  proffered  his  ser 
vices  to  assist  in  bringing  Morete  to  full  conscious 
ness  once  more.  The  captain  was  busy  laying  out 
some  potato-pens  on  deck,  in  which  to  stow  away 


378  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

the  recruits  to  be  obtained  at  the  Pelews.  All  other 
persons  were  rigidly  excluded  from  the  cabin  during 
the  recuperative  experiments. 

It  was  found  an  easy  matter  to  simply  arouse  the 
girl  to  a  state  of  consciousness;  but  when  a  fairly 
complete  intelligence  was  restored  she  could  neither 
open  her  eyes,  move  her  limbs  nor  speak  a  word. 
When  her  eyelids  were  lifted  by  hand,  she  stared 
at  the  doctor  for  a  brief  time  before  she  could  rec 
ognize  him,  though  her  eyes  had  lost  their  opaque 
appearance  and  shone  luminous  as  ever.  Suddenly, 
intelligence  crept  into  her  brain  and  she  knew  the 
face  that  was  bending  lovingly  over  her.  Then  her 
pale  face  flushed  and  broke  radiantly  out  into  a  smile 
of  gladness.  She  struggled  to  lift  her  hands  to 
reach  out  to  the  loved  friend,  but  they  would  not 
move.  Sadness  stole  over  her  face  like  a  black 
shadow,  and  a  pitiable  look  of  apprehension  took 
the  place  of  her  recent  joy. 

After  a  half  hour's  vigorous  hand  friction,  mostly 
applied  along  the  spine,  Morete  began  to  open  and 
shut  her  hands,  and  she  soon  after  stretched  her 
well-moulded  arms  to  their  full  extent,  like  one 
arousing  from  slumber.  This  was  sufficient  intima 
tion  for  the  use  of  electricity.  A  gentle  current 
was  applied,  with  immediate  results.  From  that 
moment  the  girl's  lungs  began  to  iill  with  a  deep- 
chested  breathing,  and  her  heart  bounded  with  a 
strong,  steady  beat.  She  now  thrust  out  her  tongue 
and  began  to  stretch  it,  a<  it' it  were  rigid  and  numb, 


FUUT11EH    RESTORATION.  379 

and  in  a  few  minutes  the  dumb  member  began  to 
prattle  glibly,  to  her  great' delight.  She  talked  of 
the  sugar-box  and  began  to  grope  about  to  find  it, 
thinkino-  she  was  still  in  the  boat,  at  her  own  loved 

O 

Palm  Isle,  lying  in  the  arms  of  her  companion. 

Further  application  of  the  battery  overcame  the 
paralysis  of  the  lids,  and  the  girl  could  open  her 
eyes  and  stare  about  upon  her  new  quarters.  She 
seemed  greatly  mystified  at  the  white  ceiling  over 
head,  and  questioned  the  meaning  of  the  glass  bull's 
eye  at  the  side  of  her  berth.  She  seemed  quite 
startled  at  seeing  several  pairs  of  trowsers  hanging 
at  the  end  of  the  room,  possibly  thinking  that  they 
were  the  cast-off  skins  of  the  dreaded  ship's  people. 

When  Uncle  Joe  thrust  in  his  time-bleached  head 
and  furrowed  face  at  the  door,  the  girl  clung  with 
both  hands  to  Greville's  arm,  and  stared  and  trem 
bled  with  unfeigned  terror,  probably  deeming  the 
grotesque  apparition  one  of  the  dreadful  old  sea- 
tyrants  who  had  disciplined  and  tormented  her  under 
the  sea  in  youthful  days,  —  monsters  that  had  caused 
her  to  desert  her  mermaid  tribes  in  the  coral  grot 
toes,  and  take  a  seaside  tenement  on  the  land,  to 
escape  such  cruel  sea-beasts.  When  the  old  wizard 
smiled  upon  her  and  spoke  gently,  in  a  strained 
effort  to  be  agreeable,  alas,  Morete  took  the  frightful 
contortions  of  the  one-eyed  face  and  the  grin  of  the 
mouth  unfamiliar  with  teeth  as  a  terrible  denuncia 
tion,  and  shrank  from  the  dear  old  man  with  added 
fear  and  trembling. 


380  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

Greville  was  of  the  opinion  that  it  might  be  sev 
eral  days  before  Morete's  legs  acquired  their  full 
strength.  Until  then  there  would  be  no  probability 
of  her  trying  to  escape.  In  the  meantime  a  strong 
leather  belt  was  made  to  fasten  about  her  waist,  with 
a  length  of  lance-line  attached,  by  which  to  secure 
her  when  she  was  taken  on  deck.  The  large  stern 
windows  had  been  strongly  barred,  and  a  watch  would 
be  constantly  kept  over  the  outer  cabin  door. 

AVhen  Morete  was  made  comfortable,  and  had 
drank  the  milk  of  two  cocoa-nuts  and  eaten  several 
bananas,  dear  old  Uncle  Joe,  ever  thoughtful  of  the 
wants  of  others,  volunteered  his  services  to  do  the 
dress-making  and  millinery  for  the  distinguished  lady 
passenger.  The  doctor,  who  for  the  present  was 
Morete's  major-domo,  gladly  accepted  his  offer  — 
never  having  taken  a  stitch  himself. 

After  much  bewildering  discussion  about  the  cut, 
style  and  material  of  this  recherche  affair,  the  chief 
mantua-maker,  Mr.  Joe  Btiiley,  decided  that  their 
first  attempt  should  be  a  simply-made  Mother  Hub- 
bard,  a  dress  suitable  for  all  occasions,  whether  for 
night  or  day.  Following  the  dress-maker's  direc 
tions,  the  doctor  proceeded  to  the  delicate  matter  of 
measuring  the  length,  depth  and  beam,  at  the  neck 
and  amidships,  of  the  lady  in  question.  This  ac 
complished,  Uncle  Joe  cut  the  dress,  and  with  the 
steward's  assistance  went  nimbly  to  work  upon  the 
pretty  pattern  of  French  calico. 

When   it   became    known    that    a    M-wing-boo   had 


MORETE'S  DRESS-MAKING.  381 

been  established  in  the  cabin,  contributions  became 
the  order  of  the  day.  Old  Tom  sent  aft  a  red  flannel 
shirt  and  a  pair  of  number  eleven  brogans.  The 
first  he  intimated  would  make  a  good  roomy  petti 
coat,  while  the  last,  if  a  wee  bit  too  large,  might  be 
stuffed  at  the  toes  with  cotton  and  be  made  to  fit. 

Among  the  gifts  most  available  was  a  pretty  pair 
of  home-made  slippers,  contributed  by  the  cabin- 
boy.  Captain  Lawrence  added  two  ruffled  French 
calico  shirts,  and  a  pair  of  long,  pink-colored  lamb's- 
wool  stockings  to  the  little  lady's  wardrobe.  The 
stockings  were  some  that  dear  old  Aunt  Sarah  tucked 
into  his  chest  every  voyage.  Best  of  all,  the  captain 
bestowed  an  old  ensign  in  the  name  of  the  ship,  out 
of  which  to  make  several  easy  flowing,  fluffy  skirts. 

This  latter  gift  stimulated  the  dress-maker  to  con 
struct  a  dress  proper  for  some  state  occasion. 

The  gay  stockings  and  the  embroidered  shoes  were 
well  thought  of.  Though  women  are  accustomed  to 
sudden  and  radical  changes  of  fashion,  they  are  often 
known  to  rebel  when  some  new  vogue  prevents  the 
display  of  their  most  available  charms.  So  with 
Miss  Morete  ;  the  style  which  she  had  been  accus 
tomed  to  permitted  the  display  of  a  pretty  pair  of 
legs  to  the  sun  ;ind  the  sea.  Now  unless  she  could 
be  captivated  by  some  gayly-colored  adornment  for 
her  limbs  the  pert  little  miss  would  most  likely  p-efer 
to  go  bare-legged,  that  being  the  most  approved, 
and,  as  far  as  she  knew,  prevalent  fashion. 

Upon  the  second  day  out  the  doctor  found  that  his 


382  TIII:  ISLE  OF  PALMS. 

patient  could  begin  to  use  her  legs  fairly  well.  She 
was  assisted  to  rise  and  helped  to  walk  about  the 
lower  cabin  for  exercise.  Now  the  prompt  services 
of  a  femme  de  chambre  were  required  to  array  the 
pretty  convalescent  in  her  new  robes,  and  the  pink 
appendages  for  the  legs.  Morete  had  daily  been 
shown  the  several  serviceable  articles  of  dress,  and 
by  signs  and  personal  application  was  made  to 
understand  what  use  they  were  to  be  put. 

The  time  had  come  to  make  a  practical  use  of  the 
garments  which  had  been  the  source  of  amusement 
to  all.  Unfortunately  Dr.  Greville  was  a  bachelor, 
and  had  not  the  remotest  idea  how  a  woman  be^an  to 

o 

dress.  Whether  she  put  on  her  right  stocking  or 
her  left  one  first,  was  a  sore  puzzle  for  the  man  of 
science  to  ponder. 

Not  to  be  deterred  by  such  trivialities,  the  doctor 
caught  up  a  stocking  and  grabbed  a  leg,  and  ingeni 
ously  contrived  to  adapt  the  one  to  the  other,  in 
spite  of  Morete's  kicking  and  scolding.  After  suc 
cessfully  repeating  this  operation,  the  impatient  man 
incased  the  gayly  stockinged  feet  in  slippers  —  much 
to  the  admiration  of  the  miss  and  the  man-maid. 

Then  the  Mother  Ilubbard  was  taken  in  hand. 
Again  the  doctor  was  confronted  by  a  serious  <juan- 
dary  :  whether  a  woman  ascended  heavenward  into 
her  dress,  like  a  lark  at  morn,  or  put  it  upon  the 
floor  and  plunged  downward  into  the  dainty  folds. 
It  was  recorded  as  one  of  Uncle  Joe's  suggestions 
that  in  bending  a  sail  it  must  first  be  hoisted  up  to 


THE    EXPOSTULATING    MISS.  383 

the  yard.  So  the  Mother  Hubbard  was  hoisted  aloft 
and  got  down  over  the  head  of  the  rebellious  lady. 
The  arms  were  bowsed  into  place  —  starboard  and 
ap0rt  —  in  true  regulation  manner.  And  when  the 
creditable  garment  was  buttoned  at  the  neck,  and 
smoothed  down  fore-and-aft,  it  made  a  very  pretty 
appearance. 

Morete  gave  rather  premature  expression  to  her 
dislike  of  the  whole  affair  by  trying  to  pull  it  off, 
with  an  angry  expression  in  her  own  musical  tongue  : 
"Kepau  mai-ko-la!"  —  the  petticoat  is  worthless. 
With  a  firm  hand  and  stern  look  Greville  restrained 
the  petulant  beauty  from  disrobing  herself.  Awed 
and  resisted,  Morete  took  time  to  view  herself  in  the 
glass  —  which  she  had  been  previously  made  ac 
quainted  with  —  and  at  length  came  to  admire  her 
adornments,  and  reluctantly  submitted  to  wear  them, 
chiefly  because  her  loved  companion  signified  that  as 
he  wore  a  dress  she  must. 


CHAPTER    XXXI. 

THE     LADY     PASSENGER. 

FIVE  days'  sailing  before  the  gentle  trade-wind 
brought  the  ship  in  sight  of  the  Pelew  Islands. 
She  was  taken  in  off  Yap,  or  Hunter's  Island,  and 
lay-to  through  the  night.  The  following  day  was 
given  to  trading  with  the  natives.  Several  boat 
loads  of  pigs,  fowl,  sweet  potatoes  and  taro  were 
purchased,  for  which  was  bartered  gay-colored  calico 
in  lengths  sufficient  for  the  holiday  malos  of  the 
chiefs,  together  with  fish-hooks,  knives,  and  bits  of 
iron  hoop  large  enough  for  spear-heads man- 
killing  instruments,  for  they  are  a  war-making 
people. 

Sufficient  recruits  having  been  bartered  for,  the 
decks  were  cleared  of  natives.  Their  canoes  were 
cast  off  from  alongside  and  sent  adrift,  with  many 
kindly  greetings  from  the  hospitable  Pelews.  Sail 
was  made,  and  the  ship  was  kept  away  on  her 
course,  leaving  the  brown-backed  natives  to  paddle 
back  to  their  prolific  shores,  enriched  by  a  f<>\\ 
pieces  of  calico — superfluous  to  their  needs  —  for 

[384] 


MORETE'S  FIRST  APPEARANCE.  385 

with  their  customs  of  nudity  and  absence  of  restraint, 
a  girdle  of  tough  leaves  best  becomes  their  exuberant 
clime. 

From  the  stern  cabin  windows  Morete  saw  the 
natives  flitting  back  and  forth  in  their  canoes,  heard 
them  talk,  and  for  a  wonder  caught  the  meaning  of 
much  that  they  were  saying.  This  surprised  Gre- 
ville,  for  the  girl  had  not  shown  herself  proficient  in 
acquiring  the  English  tongue.  Yet  she  ever  after 
made  use  of  Pelew  words  Avith  great  familiarity. 

In  the  evening,  after  the  ship  left  the  Pelews, 
there  was  an  interesting  group  gathered  on  the 
quarter-deck  of  the  Fleetwing.  In  the  centre  of  this 
social  circle  of  mixed  nautical  men  sat  a  charming 
girl  of  about  twenty  summers  —  as  human  ages  go 
—  quaintly  dressed  in  a  neat  calico  waist  with  short 
sleeves  and  a  broad,  turn-down  collar.  The  girl's 
skirt  was  made  of  bunting,  in  which  the  stars  and 
stripes  of  the  loved  American  flag  contributed  an 
agreeable  feature. 

A  jaunty  sailor  hat,  having  a  band  of  blue  ribbon 
with  long,  flowing  ends,  was  upon  her  head  ;  while 
her  extremities  were  adorned  with  gayly-colored 
stockings,  her  small,  shapely  feet  were  fitly  embel 
lished  with  embroidered  slippers ;  decorations  for 
which  the  little  miss  seemed  to  have  great  apprecia 
tion,  for  she  pleasured  herself  by  showing  her  new 
attire  to  every  one  who  approached  her,  with  an  in 
nocent,  childlike  manner,  far  removed  from  guile. 

The  hair  of  this  brown,  Spanish-looking  girl  was 


TIIK     ISIJ-:    OF    I'AL.MS. 

her  most  conspicuous  beauty  ;  long  and  black,  silky 
and  soft  in  texture,  it  hung  in  inconceivable  masses 
over  her  shoulders  and  about  her  petit  form.  Such 
a  luxuriant  growth  as  is  rarely  seen  beyond  the  limit 
of  the  tropics. 

The  girl's  eyes  were  large,  dark  and  languishing 
as  a  reindeer's  ;  winsome  and  expressive,  whether 
melting  with  love  or  flashing  with  ire.  The  mouth 
was  small  and  sweet,  lips  arched  and  full,  and  high 
colored.  Nothing  could  be  more  contagious  than 
the  merry  laugh,  or  sweeter  than  her  roguish  smile. 

Her  face  was  a  charming  study  as  she  sat  nestled 
by  the  doctor's  side,  expressing  such  outspoken 
affection  for  her  companion  and  showing  dislike  or 
approval  for  everything  she  saw.  It  was  a  face  to 
love  at  sight  and  linger  over  with  admiration.  A 
face  in  which  all  that  transpired  was  glassed  as 
plainly  as  ever  mirror  reflected  human  actions  ;  and 
neither  pen  nor  pencil  could  hope  to  portray  its  ever- 
varying  lights  and  shadows. 

It  was  Morete's  first  appearance  on  deck,  where 
she  was  confronted  face  to  face  with  strange  men  of 
many  nationalities.  At  present  she  seemed  to  be 
more  of  a  listener  than  a  talker,  though  she  noted 
everything,  and  smiled,  frowned,  and  shrugged  her 
shoulders  in  scorn  or  queenly  commendation,  as  the 
case  might  be.  Silent  and  shy  as  she  now  appeared, 
she  was  an  inveterate  pratller  when  below  with  her 
keepers  —  Uncle  Joe  and  the  doctor. 

A  stranger  might  well  have  been  shocked  to  ob- 


HKIl    LOVE    FOR    GREVILLE.  387 

serve  a  stout  girdle  about  the  waist  of  this  quiet, 
olive-faced  girl,  and  puzzled  to  see  a  similar  belt 
about  her  companion  ;  the  two  strongly  leashed  to 
gether  by  a  few  fathoms  of  lance-line.  This  show 
of  bondage  seemed  to  imply  that  the  girl,  intelligent 
as  she  appeared,  was  perhaps  subject  to  some  men 
tal  aberration ;  yet  it  never  would  prompt  one  to 
doubt  of  the  purely  human  origin  of  a  creature  so 
beautiful  and  attractive  as  Morete. 

Not  the  slightest  paralytic  effect  remained  of 
Morete's  terrible  poisoning  by  Gelsemia.  In  fact, 
Dr.  Greville  justly  affirmed  that  the  toxemia  which 
she  had  undergone  Avas  beneficial,  as  its  remedial 
action  had  certainly  alleviated,  if  not  wholly  cured, 
the  girl's  occasional  grief-stricken  frenzy,  —  a  touch 
of  mania,  previously  caused  by  slight  brainal  anemia. 

While  the  officers  were  talking  and  laughing  in 
their  boisterous  way,  relating  some  strange  reminis 
cence  of  previous  adventures  among  the  Pelews,  — 
between  their  frequent  smoke-puffs, — Morete  was 
content  to  sit  and  hold  the  doctor's  hand  in  her  two 
dimpled  palms,  and  give  attentive  ear  to  the  story 
tellers.  When  at  length  the  garrulous  mates  came 
to  a  pause,  and  gave  themselves  up  to  a  quiet,  reflec 
tive  smoke,  and  Morete  was  confronted  with  silence, 
and  hedged  about  by  grim,  smoke-beclouded  men, 
then  the  animated  girl  became  wholly  absorbed  in 
her  companion,  to  the  exclusion  of  all  others. 

At  such  times  Morete  was  satisfied  to  sit  in  silence 
and  gaze  thoughtfully  into  the  doctor's  eyes,  drink- 


THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

ing  in  his  responsive  glances  with  as  much  relish  as 
the  desert  traveller  quenches  his  thirst  at  the  cool 
springs  of  an  oasis.  One  would  have  thought  that 
Morete  must  have  spied  upon  a  pair  of  human  lovers 
to  have  caught  the  infection  so  true  to  life.  Or 
might  it  be  that  love  is  but  a  typical  disease  of  the 
cardiac  organ,  common  to  all  time,  and  which  afflicts 
all  forms  of  intelligence,  however  embodied? 

Uncle  Joe  now  joined  the  group  at  the  stern. 
After  drinking  his  fill  at  the  water  piggin,  the  old 
patriarch  leaned  his  tall  ungainly  form  against  the 
scuttle-butt,  and  seemed  to  greatly  enjoy  the  novel 
scene  before  him.  His  leathery,  corrugated  face 

contorted  into  a  hideous  grin  —  meant  for  a  smile 

until  his  weather-beaten  visage  glowed  like  a  sun 
beam  perched  on  a  storm-cloud. 

The  dear  old  soul  found  pleasure  in  watching 
Morete  toying  with  Greville's  garnet  seal.  She 
repeatedly  tried  the  glittering  gem  upon  her  own 
brown  fingers,  delighted  to  see  it  flash  its  crimson 
flame  in  the  setting  sun.  A  ripple  of  delicious  laugh 
ter  frequently  burst  from  the  impulsive  creature" at 
some  new  adjustment  of  the  garnet,  showing  that 
vanity  is  the  same  sweet  feminine  trait  among  the 
sea  nereids  as  with  shore  damsels. 

Next  to  the  doctor,  Morete  was  mostly  attached 
to  the  fatherly  black  man.  Uncle  Joe  had  ever  been 
her  affectionate  attendant,  not  only  taking  ,-hariro  of 
her  when  her  chief  keeper  was  asleep,  but  she  was 
indebted  to  his  ebony  fingers  for  cutting  her  dresses, 


THE    GRIM    OLD    N  ERE  US.  389 

and  doing  most  of  her  needle-work.  So,  whether  the 
little  sea-girl  looked  upon  the  sable  veteran  as  her 
paternal  Nereus,  or  humble  Ganymede,  she  certainly 
reserved  for  her  tender-hearted  mantua-maker  the 
second  place  in  her  affection,  and  listened  to  his 
quaint  rigmarole  whenever  he  addressed  her. 

"  I  specs  dis  yere  leedle  gal  yam  like  de  Queen 
ob  Sheba,  hol'in'  court  'mong  de  kings  oh  Jerusalum. 
But  dis  chile  duzn't  specs  Misse  Sheba  eber  hab  sich 
ar  snarl  ob  glory  on  'er  head  ez  dis  yere  leedle  queen 
ob  Palm  Isle." 

And  the  aged  wizard  stroked  Morete's  silky  hair 
with  his  gnarled  fingers,  verily  like  some  grim  old 
Nereus  from  the  nether  world,  ascended  from  the 
ocean  habitat  to  sanction  this  human  ban  with  one 
of  his  colony  of  nereids  from  under-sea. 

Abating  the  radiant  expression  on  her  face  for  a 
moment,  Morete  turned  from  the  doctor  and  greeted 
her  venerable  seamstress  with  a  smile,  and  gracefully 
proffered  one  of  her  little  brown  hands  in  token  of  wel 
come.  It  was  evident  to  all  that  she  held  these  two 
men  in  highest  esteem,  and  ever  gladdened  at  their 
coming,  in  whatever  capacity  of  servitude  they  came. 

While  Morete  always  received  G rev i lie  with  a 
very  sun-burst  of  love,  the  greeting  bestowed  upon 
Uncle  Joe  was  more  like  the  filial  affection  due  to  a 
parent.  This  might  possibly  be  accounted  for  by 
Joe  Bailey's  awakening  some  dim  retrospect  of  her 
remote  aqueous  history  —  for  a  more  Neptunean 
visage  was  never  beheld  on  sea  or  land. 

o 


TIIK    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

44  Well,  Uncle  Joe,  I  don't  know  which  Morctc 
loves  best,  you  or  the  doctor,  "  said  the  mute,  inter 
rupting  the  pantomimic  tattle  of  the  pair.  "  She  evi 
dently  thinks  you  are  the  handsomest  man  of  the 
two.  Guess  if  you  could  deduct  a  hundred  years 
from  your  countless  centuries,  you'd  win  the  day." 

44  Lorry  me,  Misser  Brayhruc,  not  much  chance 
fo'  dis  yere  ole  brack  brudder  whar  Docer  Grevil 
yam.  Ilun'ard  year  yain't  much  to'ard  dat,  sah.  I 
specs  dis  chile  be  purty  olc  ebony  eben  den." 

"Of  course  you'll  put  out  a  shingle  —  <  Fashion- 
al)le  Dress-maker'  —  when  you  retire  from  whaling  ?  " 
queried  Morey. 

"  Doan  kno'  'bout  dat,  sah.  Dis  pussun  neber  sarve 
reg'lar  time  makin'  gowns  fo'  de  gals.  Specs  de  sho* 
folks  ruther  want  mo'  style  dan  leedle  Misse  'Rete. 
T'ink  dis  niggar  mo'  'dapted  tor  cut  er  taup'sil,  dan 
er  gal's  Mudder  Ubard." 

If  Morete  did  not  fully  comprehend  all  that  was 
said  about  her,  she  realized  that  she  was  the  topic  of 
conversation,  and  responded  to  the  extra  sunbeams 
in  the  black  face  above  her  with  a  warmth  that  was 
most  gratifying  to  the  old  whaleman. 

There  was  one  person  on  board  in  whose  presence 
Morete  ever  showed  something  of  her  old  fren/y  and 
fear.  Crawford  came  aft  while  Mr.  IJailcy  was 
having  the  last  of  his  pleasant  chat,  and  had  not 
Morete  been  Securely  tethered  to  the  doctor,  at 
Tom's  first  appearance,  it  was  feared  she  mi<rht  h:i\c 
leaped  overboard  to  avoid  the  biir  brute  who  once 


HER    DISLIKE    FOR    TOM.  301 

lassoed  her.  Even  Avhen  in  the  cabin,  Tom's  deep 
sonorous  voice  filled  her  with  apprehension,  until 
Captain  Lawrence  was  forced  to  command  the  burly 
fellow  to  keep  quiet  whenever  he  came  aft. 

Each  surreptitious  contact  which  Tom  thus  ob 
tained  of  the  little  sea-girl  but  served  to  increase 
his  regrets  that  he  was  not  the  lucky  fellow  to  have 
captured  the  pretty  creature  for  Barnum.  Of  this, 
Tom  often  complained  to  the  crew.  "Yer  see, 
maties,"  he  is  reported  to  have  said  to  his  shipmates, 
"  it  am  not  so  muchly  ther  thousand  doller  in  gold, 
what  ther  grate  showman  promis  ter  gin  me,  but  ole 
Tom  would  ha'  bin  considered  ar  grate  nat'ralist. 
Then  ther  papers  h'ist  ar  feller's  name  inter  notic' 
wid  sum  kind  o'  jimcrack  to  win'  astarn  on't.  An' 
Barnum  would  hev  trotted  out  ar  life  ticket  fur 
ar  feller  ter  seen  all  ther  horned  'orses  an'  land 
varmints." 

"  Yis,  yis,  b'ys,  Tom's  allus  shapin'  his  course  fur 
ar  free  ticket,"  responded  Buntline.  "  Ole  Belzebub 
gin  him  ar  free  pass  long  ago,  ez  we  all  know. 
Sorry  ter  sez  it  again'  me  ole  chum,  but  it's  my 
'pinion  thet  ole  Physic  wul  do  bettermore  by  ther 
Marrnaid  than  Tom  wul." 

"Brail  up  ther,  Bunt!  Ye's  allus  takin'  sum 
onsartin  view  uv  ar  feller's  Christin  piety.  I  hole 
thet  all  sea-goin'  critters  AVUZ  born  ter  be  captur'd. 
Ther  nat'ral  end  on  um  is  ter  stulf  um  wid  tan-bark, 
fur  ther  good  o'  futer  gin'rations.  An'  I  mean  ter 
lend  ar  helpin'  hand  in  tuckin'  um." 


392 


THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 


"Bully  fur  you,  Tom!  Stick  ter  thet  gawspil. 
You  hez  all  us  done  so  much  good  fur  'cience  thet 
you'll  git  stuffed  yerself,  sum  day.  But,  ole  chum, 
ther  paddin'  wul  be  brimstone  'sted  o'  tan-bark  ;  an' 
jist  one  touch  uv  ar  lucifer  wul  set  yer  ar  flamin'." 

The  night  was  setting  in  dark  and  lowery.  As  it 
was  threatening  to  become  squally,  the  evening 
sociable  was  broken  up  early,  and  the  doctor  was 
compelled  to  escort  the  lady  passenger  below  to  her 
stateroom  for  the  night.  Though  the  little  miss 
showed  some  reluctance  to  going,  Greville  was 
gradually  acquiring  sufficient  restraint  over  her,  so 
that  her  moments  of  rebellion  daily  became  less 
frequent. 


CHAPTER   XXXII. 

A    NIGHT    OF    DANGER. 

THE  Fleetwing  steered  to  the  N.  W.  for  several 
days  after  leaving  the  Pelews,  until  the  ther 
mometer  showed  that  she  had  entered  the  Kuro- 
Siwo,  the  warm,  Indian  stream  which  runs  along  the 
western  shores  of  the  Pacific.  A  small  part  of  this 
stream  flows  through  Behring  Strait  into  the  Arctic, 
while  the  larger  part  runs  east  along  the  south  shore 
of  Alaska  and  the  coast  of  Oregon. 

Along  the  eastern  coast  of  Luzon  and  Formosa, 
the  Kuro-Siwo,  or  Black  Stream,  has  a  velocity  of 
three  knots  an  hour  to  the  N.  This  ocean  river 
originates  in  the  tropics,  and  corresponds  to  the 
American  Gulf  Stream,  though  its  waters  are  a 
deeper  green  and  have  a  somewhat  lower  tempera 
ture.  The  Kuro-Siwo  greatly  modifies  the  climate 
of  Japan,  as  the  stream  divides  and  runs  both  sides 
of  the  islands  ;  the  western  branch  enters  the  Corea 
Strait  and  passes  out  of  the  Japan  Sea  at  the  Sanger 
Strait. 

After  striking  this  ocean  current   the  Fleetwing 

[393] 


THE    ISLE    OF    1'AL.MS. 

was  brought  up  to  the  wind,  the  yards  braced  and 
the  studding-sails  taken  in,  with  the  view  of  making 
the  Bashee  channel  before  entering  the  China  Sea. 
This  new  course  brought  the  ship's  head  N.  by  W., 
when  on  a  taut  bowline.  While  a  ship  is  increasing 
her  latitude  in  the  N.  E.  trades,  the  wind  always 
backens  round  to  the  north-east  as  she  advances.  A 
few  days'  sailing  in  this  favoring  current  sufficed  to 
run  out  the  required  latitude,  then  the  ship  was  kept 
away  to  the  west. 

It  would  have  been  a  more  direct  course  to  Hong 
Kong  had  the  ship  entered  the  China  Sea  north  of 
Luzon  ;  but  by  so  doing  the  vessel  would  have  been 
headed  by  a  south-setting  current,  coming  down 
from  the  Yellow  Sea,  between  Formosa  and  the 
coast.  But  now,  when  she  was  kept  off  to  the  west, 
to  run  out  her  longitude,  she  would  cross  the  China 
current  at  right  angles  and  in  its  narrowest  part. 

Ten  days  had  passed  since  the  Fleetwing  left  the 
Isle  of  Palms.  When  the  noon  observations  were 
taken  the  ship  was  found  to  have  reached  latitude 
20°  10'  N.,  the  exact  latitude  of  the  Bashee  channel. 
The  yards  were  squared  in  and  the  ship  was  kept  off 
west,  while  the  studding-sails  were  put  upon  her, 
alow  and  aloft,  with  the  hope  of  making  the  N. 
Bashee  island  before  dark. 

The  wind  increased  steadily  during  the  afternoon, 
and  long  before  night  the  studding-sails  had  to  he 
taken  in  and  the  skysail  and  royals  furled.  Later 
on  the  weather  set  in  black  and  squally,  and  sail  had 


THE  DREADFUL  ALTERNATIVE.         395 

to  be  further  reduced.  Though  it  piped  on  to  a 
gale,  and  threatened  to  be  a  disagreeable  night,  still 
the  ship  was  pressed  to  her  utmost,  with  a  determina 
tion  to  make  the  land  if  possible. 

The  channel  for  which  they  were  running  is  a 
dangerous  place  for  night-work.  Thirty  miles  north 
of  the  Bashee  is  Gadd's  reef,  and  just  beyond  is 
Botel  Tobago.  To  the  west  of  these  dangers,  and 
more  in  mid-channel,  are  the  dread  Yele-Rete  rocks, 
just  a-wash  in  a  seaway.  Thus  the  alternative  of 
making  the  land  or  isolated  rocks  and  reefs  in  a 

O 

dark  night,  Avith  a  large  sea  running,  was  not  pleas 
ant  to  contemplate. 

This  is  one  of  the  many  emergencies  frequently 
thrust  upon  a  ship-master ;  situations  that  require  a 
degree  of  nerve  and  sound  judgment  not  often 
available  in  time  of  need.  The  ship's  position  was 
discussed  at  supper  table.  As  Captain  Lawrence 
said, — "We  are  in  the  vicinity  of  two  opposite 
currents.  The  Bashee  channel  i.s  good  enough  by 
daylight,  in  any  weather,  but  bad  for  night-work  in 
the  best  of  weather.  The  north  point  of  the  island, 
for  which  we  are  steering,  —  so  as  to  learn  when  we 
are  past  all  danger,  —  has  rocks  some  distance  out. 
But  it  is  always  safer  to  approach  the  Bashee  than 
any  of  the  clusters  of  rocks  which  border  the  north 
side  of  the  channel.  This  is  our  position  ;  what  do 
you  think  of  it?" 

"  Suppose  we  shorten  sail  and  heave-to  for  the 
night,"  suggested  the  mate. 


Till:    ISLE    OF    1'AL.MS. 

"We  should  have  to  drift  before  the  sea,  without 
knowing  which  of  the  several  currents  we  were  at 
the  mercy  of.  We  know  where  we  are  now  ;  and  in 
three  hours'  time  our  distance  will  be  run  out.  We 
shall  then  be  on  the  Bashee,  or  past  it  and  in  safety. 
I  hold  to  taking  a  risk  for  three  hours,  rather  than 
for  the  whole  night." 

The  three  officers  agreed  with  the  captain,  and  his 
decision  was  made  to  run  as  they  were  going  and 
do  their  best  to  keep  off  the  land.  Night  shut  down 
early,  and  every  precaution  was  taken  to  avoid  the 
coming  danger.  In  addition  to  the  double  lookouts 
on  the  bows,  a  sharp-eyed  man  was  put  upon  the 
end  of  the  flying  jib-boom,  and  another  in  the  stay 
sail  netting  to  pass  along  the  word. 

As  the  gale  was  momentarily  increasing,  sail  must 
be  snugged  down  so  that  the  ship  could  luff  about 
on  either  tack,  as  required,  in  the  coming  emergency. 
Old  Tom  was  called  to  the  helm.  One  watch  was 
stationed  at  the  braces,  fore-and-aft,  ready  to  cant 
the  yards  on  the  instant ;  the  other  watch  was  scut 
aloft  to  furl  the  topgallant-sails.  Then  the  three  top 
sails  were  to  be  single  reefed,  —  one  sail  at  a  time, 
—  not  to  abate  the  ship's  speed,  or  place  her  in  irons, 
in  case  of  need.  After  the  topsails  were  reefed  and 
hoisted,  the  fore  and  main  sails  were  brailcd  up  and 
left  to  hang  in  the  buntlines.  This  would  give  more 
freedom  in  bracing  the  yards,  and  permitted  the 
captain  to  see  ahead  from  the  quarter-deck. 

Nine  o'clock  came,  the  time  required  to  run  out 


BLACKER  THAN  EGYPT.  397 

the  supposed  distance  to  the  Bashee,  and  there  was 
no  appearance  of  land.  The  darkness  had  become 
blacker  than  Egypt,  and  nothing  could  possibly  be 
distinguished  but  the  ghastly  sea-caps  against  the 
inky  blackness  of  sea  and  sky. 

The  wind  now  hauled  two  points  more,  adding 
greatly  to  the  danger  of  the  situation  if  the  ship 
should  need  to  be  luffed  out  to  the  N.  Uncle  Joe 
had  been  kneeling  at  the  taffrail  in  earnest  prayer. 
When  it  was  announced  that  the  wind  had  shifted  to 
the  N.  N.  E.,  the  old  man  rose  up  out  of  the  dark 
ness  and  went  quickly  to  the  captain,  Avho  was 
standing  by  the  binnacle  prompting  Crawford  to  be 
ready  for  the  word  from  the  lookout,  for  it  must 
now  come  soon. 

"What  be  yo'  reck'nin'  now,  sail? "he  asked  of 
the  captain. 

"  My  distance  will  be  over-run  inside  of  ten  min 
utes.  What  is  your  calculation?" 

"  Ef  de  gude  Lawd  permits,  we  uns  wul  pass  de 
Bashee  in  two  mi  nit,  sah.  Pray  de  deali  Fader  to 
hole  us  in  his  ban'  now,  Cap'n." 

"  What  do  you  remember  about  this  N.  Bashee?" 

"Nasty  p'int,  sah!  Plenty  ob  rocks  all  'bout 
dere,  Cap'n.  On'y  queek  work  an'  ar  handy  ship 
can  sabe  us  if  we  make  dem  yere  rocks." 

"Go  forward,  Mr.  Bailey,  and  quietly  tell  the 
mate  that  our  reckoning  is  about  run  out,  and  to 
double  his  lookouts  ;  and  let  him  remember  that  his 
sio-n  for  lee-bow  breakers  is  one  pistol-Hash." 


3i)8  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

"  Yi,  yi,  sab.  An'  ef  yo'  can  spare  dis  niggar, 
I'd  like  ter  hole  de  larboard  year  out  t'ward  dat  ar 
Ian',  an'  bark'n  wid  de  sole,  jis  one  minit." 

"  All  right."  Turning  to  the  helmsman,  who  bad 
heard  the  conversation  and  appreciated  the  crisis, 
the  captain  bade  him,  "  Be  ready  with  a  quick  lee- 
helm,  Tom." 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir.     I  bin  feelin'  uv  'er  luff,  oPen." 

Hailing  the  seamen  stationed  at  the  braces,  the 
intuitive  commander  seemed  verily  to  feel  the  near 
approach  of  the  danger,  though  it  was  invisible,  and 
he  bade  them,  "  Be  alert  there,  every  man  of  you  ! 
Cast  off*  your  lee  braces  and  trail  them  along  forward 
for  a  quick  run  !  " 

i 'Ay,  ay,  sir.  Lee  braces  cast  off  ready  for  a 
run,"  answered  a  dozen  sonorous  voices  from  out  the 
blinding  darkness. 

"Mr.  Morey,  who  are  tending  the  weather 
braces?"  The  second  mate  named  the  two  best 
boatsteerers,  which  seemed  to  satisfy  the  captain  as 
he  gave  the  final  order  while  breathlessly  waiting 
the  dreadful  emergency,  "Lessen  the  turns  on  the 
pins  ready  to  let  go  !  " 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir.  Lessen  the  turns  it  is,"  was  an 
swered  from  out  the  gloom,  as  the  ship  tore  through 
the  black  night  and  the  swirling  seas. 

Though  the  ship  was  steering  to  make  the  north 
point  of  the  Bashee,  yet  the  swift-flowing  northerly 
current  across  which  she  was  running  made  it  possi 
ble  for  her  to  be  far  out  in  mid-channel,  thirty  miles 


"  HA-R-R-D    A-LEE  !  "  399 

further  north  than  was  estimated.  In  this  case  she 
might  run  upon  Gadd's  reef,  or  the  Vele-Rete  rocks, 

much  the  more  dangerous  position  of  the  two,- 

for  with  such  a  large  sea  running  against  a  strong 
cross-current,  it  were  impossible  to  distinguish  the 
surf  on  the  reefs  from  the  foaming  swash  of  the 
combing  billows. 

The  sense  of  apprehension  was  becoming  most 
oppressive  to  those  in  command.  Every  soul  on 
board  was  standing  breathless,  half  suffocated  with 
intense  anxiety  of  the  situation.  Still  the  ship  tore 
on  and  on  through  the  inky  blackness,  until  most  of 
the  officers  believed  that  she  had  passed  the  island. 
So  great  was  the  nervous  strain  upon  Captain  Law 
rence,  upon  whom  all  responsibility  rested,  that  he 
could  not  bring  himself  to  run  a  moment  longer 
upon  this  hap-hazard  course.  He  quietly  ordered 
Tom  to  ease  his  helm,  and  luff  her  slowly  to  the 
N.  W.,  and  bade  Mr.  Morey  brace  the  yards  for  a 
beam  wind,  —  doing  this  at  a  venture,  as  one  might 
grope  his  way  through  the  darkness  toward  a  preci 
pice,  until  the  aroused  monitress  within  was  repelled 
from  going  farther  in  that  direction. 

Suddenly,  while  the  ship  was  in  the  act  of  luffing 
into  the  enrolling  seas,  Uncle  Joe's  piercing  ^fife- 
notes  were  heard  above  the  shouting  voices  of  the 
forward  lookouts  : 

"  Lan'  O,  close  aboard  !     Ha-r-r-d  a-lee  ! ' 
The  mate's  pistol   shot  confirmed  the   old  man's 
cry.     Fortunately  the  ship  had  already  luffed  so  as 


400 


THE    ISLE    OF   PALMS. 


to  head   along  the    trend  of  the    land,   before    she 
entered  the  verge  of  the  breakers.     This  saved  her 
from  striking  upon  the  rocks  before  she  could  have 
answered  the  helm  ;  for  not  only  tho  rocks  but  land 
was  in  full  view.     As  it  was,  the  laboring  ship  was 
grappled  for  a  full  minute  by  the  wild  swirl  of  roar 
ing  surf  and  the  enrolling  seas,  and  but  for  the  grip 
of  the  favoring  current  she  would  have  been    cast 
broadside  upon  the  sharp  rocks   and  pyramids  of 
foam  which  now  floundered  only  a  ship's  length  away 
under   the   quarter.     Not   until    her    courses   were 
set,  and  after  five  minutes  of  sailing  to  the  K".  W., 
was  there  a  certainty  of  the  ship's  freeing  herself! 
Then  the  rocks  and  the  seething  breakers  be^an  to 
slowly  recede  into  the  darkness,  and  one   and   all 
breathed  easily  again. 

The  ship's  course  and  distance  had  been  calcu 
lated  with  terrible  precision.  She  had  approached 
the  island  at  the  very  spot  desired,  but  so  near  was 
the  land  that,  as  old  Tom  said,  "It  scotched  ther 
hair  on  me  old  bald  'ead  ! "  But  then,  sailors  con 
sider  "  a  miss  as  good  as  a  mile." 

The  Flcetwing  had  now  derived  a  good  "  depar 
ture,"  and  her  course  was  laid  W.  N.  W.  for  Pedro 
Branco,  four  hundred  miles  distant,  where  plenty  of 
I  long  Kong  pilots  would  be  found  on  the  lookout 
for  inward-vessels.  As  the  gale  was  still  piping 
loudly,  another  reef  was  taken  in  the  fore  and  mi//<si 
topsails  and  the  ship  was  kept  at  her  topmost  speed 
the  remainder  of  the  ni<rht. 


HOW    JOE    SAVED    THE    SHIP.  401 

One  would  suppose  that  after  hours  of  such  intense 
anxiety  there  would  not  be  much  sleep  for  any  one 
on  board.  On  the  contrary,  in  less  than  half  an 
hour  most  of  those  having  the  privilege  of  a  watch 
beloAV  had  snatched  a  whiff  at  their  interminable 
pipes,  and  were  snoring  in  concert  with  the  gale 
above  deck. 

Mr.  Bailey  had  charge  of  the  middle  watch,  and 
to  him  Captain  Lawrence  gave  his  orders  for  the 
remainder  of  the  night,  well  knowing  that  the  aged 
officer  would  use  the  best  judgment  in  battling  with 
the  gale.  In  relating  the  singular  circumstance  of 
his  discovering  the  land  before  the  other  lookout,  he 
said  : 

"  Yo'  seed,  chilun,  dis  niggar  yam  gittin'  so  ole 
dat  he  can  see  best  wid  de  ears  on  sich  niggarish 
nites  as  dis  yere.  Dis  chile  stay'd  aft  jess  ez  long 
ez  he  could.  Dese  yere  olc  bones  gut  chuck  full  ob 
Moses,  an'  I  axed  de  cap'n  lemme  go  fo'ard  ;  den  I 
shinned  out  onter  de  bow  an'  gan  ter  hike  fo'  delan', 
but  suffin  said,  '  Go  furder  out,  ole  man.'  It  wuz  tuff 
work  fo'  dese  crooked  ole  walkers  ter  tote  out  onter 
dat  jib-boom,  wid  de  ship  scootin'  'fore  de  gale  an' 
pitchin'  her  nose  un'er  water,  but  de  Lawd  sed, 
"«  Push  ahead,  push  ahead,  Joe,  an'  diskibber  dat  Ian'.' 
So  I'se  done  did  urn,  an'  dats  how't  wuz." 

"  But  how'd  you  see  land  with  your  ears  ?  "  queried 
Chips,  who  was  good  at  worrying  an  explanation  out 
of  the  old  officer. 

"  My  stars,  Chips,  duzn't  yer  t'ink  dat  de  sole  ob 


402  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

man  can  see  Ian'  in  de  dark?  Why,  chile,  I'se  jess 
leaned  de  larboard  year  out  to'ard  de  Bashee,  an'  ar 
loud  woice  in  de  sole  scz,  «  Joe,  dats  Ian' !  Louden 
queek,  or  de  ship  am  ar  gorner.'  An'  'fore  yo'  uns 
bin  seed  dose  breakers  I'se  louden,  an'  sabe  de  ship." 

Morning  broke  bright  and  clear  over  the  storm- 
washed  vessel.  The  ship  was  running  free  under  a 
full  press  of  sail,  steering  to  make  the  China  coast 
somewhere  in  the  vicinity  of  Breakers'  Point. 

The  day  was  so  line  that  Greville  came  on  deck 
with  Morete,  seeking  an  hour's  airing  under  the  awn 
ing  as  the  cabin  was  becoming  oppressive.  With 
the  exception  of  the  helmsman  the  happy  pair  were 
alone,  and  Morete  chatted  merrily  in  her  pretty 
patois  to  her  indulgent  companion.  The  doctor  had 
never  known  his  little  captive  to  be  so  talkative. 
She  was  daily  making  use  of  newly  found  words  and 
novel  ideas,  and  just  how  she  obtained  them  none 
could  guess.  Whether  she  forged  the  strange 
idiom  in  her  own  mind,  or  dug  it  up  from  the 
memory  of  by-gone  days,  Greville  was  at  a  loss 
to  determine. 

It  was  evident  to  the  keen-eyed  physician  that 
since  Morete  recovered  from  the  ctlect  of  the 
Gelsemia  her  mind  held  to  a  better  poise  than 
before  the  poisoning;  another  valuable  therapeutic 
which  ought  to  prove  of  great  value  to  the  profes 
sion  in  the  treatment  of  insane  patients.  After 
days  of  close  scrutiny,  Greville  determined  that  there 
was  now  no  dark,  strange,  cra/y  moods  afflicting  the 


PRINCE    JOHN    OF    TAHITI.  403 

little  sea-girl,  and  her  recovery  was  wholly  attributed 
to  the  medicinal  effect  of  the  remedy  she  had 
taken. 

While  the  two  sat  by  the  taffrail  greatly  occupied 
with  each  other,  Prince  John,  the  Tahiti  Kanaka, 
mounted  into  the  starboard  boat,  of  which  he  was 
the  boatsteerer,  and  began  putting  things  in  order 
against  the  ship's  arrival  in  port.  John  was  not  yet 
fully  recovered  from  his  terrible  wounds  inflicted  by 
the  mad  whale,  and  this  was  the  first  time  he  had 
undertaken  any  kind  of  ship  duty. 

This  noble  Kanaka  was  a  prince  of  the  royal 
house  of  Pomare,  and  had  always  been  a  favorite  on 
board  ship.  John  so  hated  the  French  after  they 
captured  Tahiti,  that  he  abandoned  his  beautiful 
home  to  escape  seeing  their  daily  persecution  of 
his  people. 

The  boatsteerer  had  remained  busily  employed  in 
his  boat  for  an  hour,  when  suddenly  he  heard  some 
thing  in  the  talk  of  the  mermaid  which  attracted  his 
attention.  He  sprang  up  from  his  seat  on  the  bow 
thwart,  thrust  his  head  in  through  the  mi/zen  rig 
ging,  and  while  leaning  far  inboard  hailed  the  doctor, 
and  with  a  look  of  surprise  declared  : 

"Why,  Doctor,  me  think  that  gal  be  a  Kanaka 
wahine!  She  speak  you  all  the  same  as  Tahiti 
Kanaka." 

"  Do  you  think  so,  John?" 

"  Yes,  sir,  no  mistake  'bout  um." 

"  Come  in  here,  John,  and  have  a  talk  with  her." 


404 


THE     ISLE    OF    PALMS. 


John  dropped  down  out  of  the  riir<rin«r  jm(] 
approached  the  pair.  Morete  did  not  relish  the 
intrusion  of  this  stranger,  coming  to  interrupt  her 
hilarious  time  with  the  doctor,  and  she  shrank  timidly 
away,  with  no  disposition  to  be  interviewed.  The 
Kanaka  drew  near  and  took  a  seat  by  her  side  ; 
after  an  exchange  of  greetings  in  the  native  tongue, 
the  two  fell  into  a  conversation  full  of  surprise  "and 
interest  to  all  concerned  :  . 

"  Aloha!  wahine" —  Love  to  you,  girl. 

"  Aloha!  kane."  —  Love  to  you,  man. 

' '  Owai  oe ?  "  —  Who  are  you  ? 

"Morete,  ke  wahme  no  JPomare."  —  The  daugh 
ter  of  Pomare. 

We  will  drop  the  native  larguage  and  give  an 
interpretation  of  what  transpired. 

"  Morete,  how  came  you  on  the  island?" 

"  I  came  in  my  little  canoe  and  was  wrecked  in  a 
storm.*' 

"  When  did  you  leave  Tahiti?" 
"  I  don't  know.     But  it  was  long,  long  ago,  when 
I  was  a  little  snrl." 

o 

"  What  did  you  leave  home  for?" 

11 1  was  married  to  the  Sea  King.  He  came  ono 
moonlight  night  and  took  me  away  in  his  chariot, 
down  under  the  sea,  where  I  lived  happily  many 
years.  Then  the  king  went  away  and  I  lost  him.  I 
took  my  canoe  and  went  in  search  of  him,  and  was 
wrecked  on  the  island." 

Having  gleaned  this  much  from  the  girl  in  corrob- 


LOUD  LE  HOY  AND  MOUETE.          405 

oration  of  his  own  recollections  of  the  affair,  John 
proceeded  to  relate  the  story  of  Morete's  love  and 
disappearance  from  Tahiti. 

<fc  I  remember  when  the  English  man-of-war  Hec 
tor  came  to  anchor  at  Tahiti.  It  was  about  twelve 
years  ago.  She  was  in  port  between  three  and  four 
months,  then  went  away  and  did  not  return  as  some 
of  the  officers  promised  she  would.  The  officers  and 
crew  were  ashore,  watch-and- watch,  much  of  the 
time.  A  pretty  little  midshipman  named  Eddie  Le 
Roy  was  often  in  the  company  of  my  cousins,  Morete 
and  Marau.  Eddie  loved  Morete,  who  was  then  but 
ten  years  old  ;  and  she  idolized  him,  and  induced  me 
to  carry  fruit  and  flowers  to  the  cockpit  for  Eddie 
almost  every  day. 

"The  day  the  ship  sailed  I  heard  Eddie  repeat 
edly  promise  to  return  and  be  married  to  Morete. 
Mr.  Brander,  the  American  consul,  had  married  her 
oldest  sister ;  but  Eddie  never  came  back.  Prob 
ably  he  was  not  allowed  to  leave  the  ship,  as  he  was 
a  nobleman,  and  under  the  guardianship  of  the 
captain.  And  perhaps  he  outgrew  his  ardent  affec 
tion  for  the  little  Tahiti  princess. 

"  Morete  mourned  the  loss  of  her  lover  until  she 
was  deprived  of  her  reason,  —  a  mild  kind  of  insan 
ity,  which  after  a  while  changed  into  a  strange  kind 
of  delusion.  She  repeatedly  told  us  that  Lord  Le 
Roy  had  become  King  of  the  Sea.  She  talked  of 
seeing  him  daily  out  in  the  surf,  and  spent  many  a 
moonlight  night  with  the  king,  sitting  on  the  shore 


4o<; 


T1IK     ISLK    OF    1'AL.MS. 


at  the  mouth  of  the  river  which  runs  past  our  door. 
She  declared  that  Eddie  was  always  with  her  when 
she  swam  in  the  surf,  and  that  they  had  loving  times 
together. 

"This  crazy  mood  was  kept  up  for  two  years. 
The  girl's  story  about  her  lover  varied  from  time  to 
time.  The  last  version  was  that  Eddie  had  been 
made  King  of  the  Sea,  and  was  building  her  a  beau 
tiful  palace  of  shells,  and  red  and  white  coral. 
AVhen  the  palace  was  finished,  he  would  come  for 
Morete  and  take  her  away  in  his  pretty  chariot, 
drawn  by  dolphins  ;  with  numerous  mermaid  attend 
ants  to  wait  upon  her  under  the  sea,  where  she  was 
to  live  forever. 

"  She  disappeared  one  moonlight  night,  she  and 
her  frail  little  canoe,  and  nevermore  was  seen,  though 
the  shores  of  the  whole  group  were  searched  by  five 
hundred  canoes.  She  was  such  a  perfect  swimmer, 
that  it  was  a  long  time  before  we  could  give  her  up 
as  lost.  But  at  length  some  of  the  taboo  priests  re 
ported  that  her  spirit  was  nightly  seen  sporting  on 
the  surf,  when  the  moon  was  large  and  bright.  After 
that,  no  one  doubted  that  she  was  dead." 

Morete  had  listened  with  tremulous  interest  to 
Prince  John's  story  about  herself.  Little  by  little 
a  ray  of  mental  light  streamed  into  the  dead,  blank 
past,  in  which  she  had  existed.  Suddenly  she  1  urned 
to  the  doctor  and  twined  her  arms  tightly  about  him, 
and  exclaimed  in  a  voice  of  delight : 

"  Auwe,  Docer !    Be  you  my  Eddie,  come  to  take 


THE    BEAUTIFUL    BRIDE.  407 

Morete  home  to  Tahiti?"   With  tears  in  his    eyes, 
Greville  answered  the  little  maiden  : 

"  Yes,  you  darling  girl.  I  will  take  you  to  Tahiti 
if  you  wish.  But  would  it  not  be  best  to  go  to  my 
home  first?  I  may  not  take  the  place  of  your  lost 
King  of  the  Sea,  but  I  Avill  be  to  you  more  than  Lord 
Eddie  Le  Ivoy,  who  won  your  love,  and  went  away 
and  left  you  to  mourn.  Morete,  I  love  you  dearly, 
and  will  be  to  you  all  that  man  can  be  to  the  woman 
he  loves.  Darling,  must  you  go  home  to  Tahiti?  Or 
will  you  find  a  home  with  me,  wherever  we  chance 
to  abide  ?  " 

And  the  ardent  man  held  the  fair  girl  aloof —  at 
arm's  length  —  to  read  the  sudden  answer  in  her  eyes, 
as  she  could  not  find  words  to  speak,  and  could  only 
bury  her  face  on  Greville's  breast,  and  sob  out  her 
unspeakable  joy.  That  evening  Captain  Lawrence 
was  called  upon  to  perform  the  marriage  ceremony, 
in  the  presence  of  the  officers  and  crew,  — that  being 
among  the  many  functions  of  a  ship-master. 

Uncle  Joe  gave  the  beautiful  bride  away,  and 
claimed  the  first  kiss  from  the  charming  young 
wife>  —  a  kiss  which  was  most  willingly  given,  and 
often  repeated  in  the  coming  days  of  the  homeward 
voyage,  for  the  dear  old  soul  had  been  as  a  loving 
parent  to  Morete  from  the  first  moment  of  their 


meeting. 


CHAPTER   XXXIII. 

ATTACKED    BY    PIRATES. 

LATE  in  the  afternoon  of  the  second  day  from  the 
Bashee,  the  mast-head  lookouts  raised  the 
China  coast,  and  the  ship  ran  in  off  Breakers'  Point 
before  keeping  away  to  the  west.  Following  the 
trend  of  the  coast,  Pedro  Branco  was  reached  before 
night.  When  the  Fleetwing  drew  near  this  Sail 
Rock,  as  it  is  also  called,  many  native  vessels  were 
discovered  near  in  to  the  tall  white  pinnacle  ;  there 
the  wind  dropped  away  to  a  light,  whole-sail  breeze, 
and  all  the  light  sails  were  set 

At  least  twenty  obsequious  Chinese  pilots  bore 
away  to  head  off  the  Fleetwing,  all  eager  for  the 
job  of  piloting  the  vessel  into  Hong  Kong.  Their 
craft  wTere  of  the  sampan  style  of  boats,  having  two 
masts,  with  lateen-sails,  and  they  were  also  pulled 
by  oars.  As  one  after  another  of  the  pilots  headed 
the  ship  and  ran  alongside  within  speaking  distance, 
they  each  sought  to  drive  a  sharp  bargain  to  take 
the  vessel  into  Hong  Kong.  Captain  Lawrence  sat 
in  his  quarter  boat,  and  without  slacking  the  speed 

[408] 


SELECTING    A    PILOT. 

of  the  ship  he  endeavored  to  select  a  suitable  pilot 
from  among  these  almond-eyed  Celestials,  none  of 
whom  seemed  to  be  prepossessing  or  trustworthy. 

He  finally  made  choice  of  the  fifteenth  applicant, 
a  tall,  raw-boned  coolie,  who  came  aboard  with  two 
of  his  crew,  leaving  the  sampan  under  charge  of  his 
wife,  to  follow  on  at  her  leisure.  The  ship's  course 
was  laid  for  the  Nine  Pins,  for  the  purpose  of  enter 
ing  by  the  Tathonor  channel.  After  ni^ht  set  in,  as 

o         J 

it  became  smoky  and  dismal,  it  was  deemed  best  to 
shorten  sail,  so  as  not  to  approach  the  "Waglan  rocks 
before  morning.  The  light  sails  were  furled,  the 
courses  were  brailed  up,  and  the  ship  was  kept 
easily  along  in  charge  of  the  usual  night  watches. 

For  several  years  prior  to  the  Fleet  wing's  voyage, 
which  occurred  forty  years  ago,  the  Chinese  gov 
ernment,  both  imperial  and  provincial,  had  become 
most  despotic  and  tyrannical.  The  emperor,  Taou- 
Kwang,  was  a  weak,  vain-minded  man,  wholly  given 
up  to  debauchery  ;  while  the  governors  of  the  coast 
provinces  seemed  to  pattern  after  their  imperial 
master  in  the  matter  of  misrule,  giving  rise  to 
constant  rebellions  throughout  their  domain. 

In  consequence  of  these  insurrectionary  times  the 
coast  pirates  and  river  robbers  had  become  more 
numerous  and  bold  than  ever  before  in  the  history 
of  the  Empire.  The  sea  pirates  were  so  fearless 
and  well  armed  as  to  attack  vessels  of  all  sizes,  and 
they  often  concentrated  in  fleets  of  sufficient  power 
to  sack  a  town. 


410  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

Knowing  this  prevailing  disposition  for  marauding 
on  the  China  coast,  the  captain  had  previously 
ordered  the  muskets,  swivel  guns  and  their  one  six- 
pound  cannon  to  be  cleaned  and  made  ready  for 
use,  while  the  ship  was  making  passage  from  the 
Pelews.  Cartridges  were  made  ;  grape-shot  and  a 
few  shrapnel  shells  were  got  ready  for  the  can 
non.  Buck-shot  was  prepared  for  the  muskets, 
and  handles  were  fitted  to  a  number  of  extra  cut 
ting  spades*,  these  broad-edged  instruments  being  the 
best  possible  weapons  for  repelling  boarders. 

Before  reaching  the  China  coast  the  officers  were 
instructed  to  impress  the  crew  with  the  importance 
of  not  divulging  to  strangers  that  there  was  treas 
ure  on  board.  But  in  spite  of  all  these  precautions, 
some  time  during  the  middle  and  morning  watches 
the  suspicions  of  the  officers  were  aroused  by  seeing 
the  pilot's  coolies  burning  blue  lights  over  the  bow 
and  stern  of  the  ship.  Even  when  forbidden  to 
make  these  signals  they  slyly  continued  to  do  it, 
stoutly  protesting  their  innocence,  and  assuming  to 
be  burning  incense  to  "  Chin  chin,  Joss  !"  -saying 
"  How-de-do,"  to  their  pagan  gods. 

As  the  coolies  did  not  desist  after  repeated  orders, 
Mr.  Morey  sent  them  below,  and  sternly  notified 
the  pilot  that  if  he  was  caught  burning  blue  lights 
he  should  be  thrown  overboard  on  the  instant.  But 
the  mischief  had  probably  been  done,  and  the  whole 
coast  was  already  info rni"d  that  a  rich  prize  was  in 
the  offin<r;  for  early  in  the  morning  watch  the 


t SUSPICIOUS    CRAFT.  411 

lookouts  began  to  observe  many  mysterious  appear 
ances. 

Blue  and  red  lights  were  now  being  exchanged  in 
several  directions  about  the  Fleetwing.  At  first  the 
flashing  signals  were  only  dimly  seen  through  the 
thin  mist  lying  low  upon  the  starlit  water,  but 
the  lights  continued  nearing  the  ever-changing  posi 
tion  of  the  ship,  which  showed  that  the  Fleetwing 
was  the  central  point  of  attraction. 

This  event  caused  so  much  uneasiness  that  early 
in  the  morning  watch  Captain  Lawrence  was  called 
out  to  decide  for  himself  what  it  all  meant.  After 
he  had  observed  the  signals  for  half  an  hour,  he 
ordered  all  hands  to  be  quietly  called  out,  the 
ship's  whole  armament  to  be  got  ready,  and  the 
muskets  and  cannon  loaded  for  the  reception  of 
the  intruders. 

In  the  misty  offing  to  windward,  between  the  ship 
and  the  coast,  there  were  plainly  seen  the  shadowy 
outlines  of  three  large,  schooner-rigged  "  fast  boats," 
hovering  in  a  cluster  and  keeping  exact  pace  with 
the  ship  by  hoisting  or  lowering  their  handy  sails. 
The  tall  masts,  wide-winged  lateen-sails  and  low- 
setting  hulls  of  the  long,  snakish  looking  craft,  cer 
tified  to  their  being  either  opium  smugglers  or  the 
largest  class  of  coast  pirates,- — synonymous  terms, 
as  the  occasion  required.  In  either  case  they  were 
dangerous  companions,  with  their  pilfering  propen 
sity,  for  the  one  kind  of  craft  often  turned  into  the 
other  whenever  smuggling  ceased  to  be  remunerative. 


412  THE  ISLI:  or  TAL.MS. 

The  three  vessels  hud  continued  doling  the 
movements  of  the  Fleetwing  for  several  hours,  fre 
quently  burning  their  noiseless  blue  lights,  endeavor 
ing  to  call  others  to  participate  in  the  contemplated 
attack.  But  at  length,  seeing  the  night  hours  were 
drawing  to  a  close  and  their  opportunity  for  a  night 
attack  must  soon  be  lost,  they  began  to  act  upon 
some  preconceived  plan,  by  separating  and  taking  a 
triangular  position  about  the  Fleetwing. 

AVhat  appeared  to  be  the  leading  vessel  remained 
hovering  upon  the  weather  quarter.  The  other  two 
fast  boats  spread  their  utmost  sail  and  forged  out 
ahead  of  the  ship,  where  one  remained  ;  the  other 
pirate  quietly  worked  his  way  down  across  the  bow, 
taking  a  position  under  the  lee  beam,  and  then  threw 
up  a  red  rocket,  out  in  the  direction  of  the  wind 
ward  vessel,  evidently  to  announce  his  readiness  for 
action.  The  red  rocket  was  instantly  answered  by 
a  blue  one  from  the  windward  leader,  who  at  once 
ran  up  his  massive  lateens  and  closed  in  on  the  ship's 
weather  quarter. 

The  Fleetwing's  crew  had  already  made  every 
preparation  to  receive  the  pirates.  Some  four  dozen 
muskets  had  been  heavily  loaded  with  buck-shot, 
and  distributed  among  the  crew  and  officers.  Kach 
man  was  given  an  extra  charge  in  case  of  need. 
The  cutting  spades  and  lances  were  all  placed  in 
readiness  for  repelling  boarders.  The  crew  had 
been  previously  divided  into  three  lighting  gangs; 
one  gang  each  for  the  bow,  the  stern  and  the  lee- 


PREPARING  FOR  BATTLE.  413 

waist,  for  it  was  evident  that  the  three  pirate 
vessels  designed  boarding  at  three  points  at  once. 

Captain  Lawrence  assumed  charge  of  the  quarter 
deck  gang,  with  Mr.  Bailey  in  immediate  command 
of  the  men  ;  for  although  Uncle  Joe  was  a  dear  good 
Christian,  he  would  transact  business  with  a  pirate 
much  after  his  method  of  managing  a  fighting  whale. 

o      o  o  o 

In  his  earlier  voyages  the  old  veteran  had  several 
times  fought  the  Malay  and  Brazilian  freebooters, 
and  though  he  would  not  kill  a  fly,  he  rather  felt  it 
was  his  life-mission  to  spade  the  flukes  of  all  evil 
doers. 

A  swivel  cannon  was  mounted  upon  the  monkey 
rail  of  each  quarter,  and  the  six-pound  deck  cannon 
was  loaded  with  cooper's  rivets  and  planted  just  for 
ward  of  the  cabin,  in  case  the  swarming  pirates 
should  gain  possession  of  the  forward  deck. 

Braybrook  had  charge  of  the  forward  gang,  having 
the  fourth  mate  as  his  second  in  command.  Mr. 
Morey  had  command  of  the  midship  seamen,  assisted 
by  Dr.  Greville,  who  had  a  brace  of  navy  revolvers 
in  his  belt  and  a  cutlass  by  his  side,  and  looked  a 
trifle  eager  to  perform  a  summary  post  mortem  upon 
a  few  Chinamen  by  way  of  illustrating  his  profes 
sional  skill. 

Some  time  after  the  ship's  preparations  had  been 
completed,  seeing  that  the  pirates  delayed  their 
attack,  the  mate  suggested  getting  up  a  lot  of 
cobble-stone  ballast  from  the  forepeak,  and  ranging 
the  stones  along  the  plankshecr  and  lee  rail,  to  be 


414  TIIK  ISLK  OF  PALMS. 

used  after  tiring  the  first  volley  of  musketry.  The 
seamen  had  been  instructed  to  each  cover  his  man 
with  a  musket  and  await  the  word  to  fire.  After 
firing,  they  were  told  to  hurl  down  the  big  stones  as 
fast  as  possible  upon  the  mass  of  heads  below ;  but 
if  the  pirates  succeeded  in  boarding,  they  were  to 
depend  upon  the  spades  and  lances  to  repel  boarders. 

The  pilot  was  kept  at  his  post  to  the  last  under 
guard  of  Tom  Crawford,  who  was  armed  with  cut 
lass  and  revolver,  but  as  soon  as  the  pirates  fairly 
gained  their  positions,  Tom  was  ordered  to  put  the 
pilot  down  the  booby-hatch.  Doughnut,  the  spirited 
little  cabin-boy,  was  put  to  guard  the  steerage  scuttle, 
with  orders  to  shoot  the  Chinamen  should  they 
attempt  to  come  up  after  the  fight  commenced. 

The  ship  had  now  got  along  so  near  to  the  Nine 
Pins  that  the  lookouts  momentarily  expected  to  see 
the  TTaglan  rocks,  the  eastern-most  point  of  the 
rocky  ledge.  The  leading  pirate  had  now  approached 
the  Fleetwing  within  twice  his  own  length.  lie  came 
silently  on,  like  a  swift-winged  bird,  keeping  close  in 
upon  the  weather  quarter. 

While  this  was  going  on  to  windward,  the  vessel 
out  ahead  had  gradually  lowered  her  sails  —  one 
yard  after  another  —  and  dropped  back  under  the 
lee-bow  of  the  ship,  approaching  only  as  fast  as 
the  leader  could  gain  a  position  on  the  <|iiarter  of 
the  Fleetwing.  The  lee-beam  fellow  had  onlv  to 
spring  his  luff,  little  by  little,  to  time  his  approach 
to  the  others,  so  that  all  could  board  together. 


LIGHTING    THE    FIRE    BALL.  415 

The  stern  pirate  began  now  to  forereach  upon  the 
quarter  of  the  ship.  Not  a  man  aboard  the  Fleet- 
wing  had  yet  shown  himself  to  warn  the  pirates  of 
the  reception  awaiting  them  ;  all  had  kept  hidden 
behind  the  high  bulwarks  to  make  the  surprise  com 
plete  for  their  assailants.  It  was  a  moment  of  breath 
less  suspense  when  the  lee-beam  pirate  was  seen 
lighting  the  fuse  of  his  terrible  fire  ball,  which  was 
designed  to  cast  on  board  at  the  last  moment, — an 
admirable  method  of  clearing  a  space  on  the  deck 
of  the  assailed  previous  to  boarding. 

But  Tom  Crawford  stood  ready  with  a  wet  blanket 
in  his  big  arms,  prepared  to  "  Dandle  thet  babby," 
as  he  expressed  it ;  for  the  Nantucket  veteran  had 
fought  pirates  in  the  China  Sea  before  and  handled 
fire  balls  on  like  occasions.  The  decks  of  the  three 
pirates  were  seen  swarming  with  men,  each  with 
more  than  a  hundred  armed  ruffians,  ravenous  as 
wolves  for  a  "fight. 

Almost  at  the  last  moment  Braybrook  conceived 
the  idea  of  running  down  the  forward  fast  boat  as 
she  dropped  incautiously  under  the  lee-bow,  having 
reduced  her  sail  too  much  to  be  able  to  sheer  off  in 
time.  A  signal  was  agreed  upon  for  suddenly  put 
ting  up  the  helm  at  the  right  moment. 

When  the  light  of  the  fire  ball  began  to  flicker 
against  the  misty  night,  the  leading  pirate  bore 
quickly  down  upon  the  weather  quarter  and  flung  his 
grapnels  into  the  mizzen  chains.  Held  fast  by  these 
to  the  ship,  the  forward  sail  was  let  run,  falling  in  a 


41(5  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

heap  on  the  quarter  boat,  so  as  to  completely  shield 
those  climbing  up  the  side  of  the  ship. 

At  the  same  moment  the  bow  of  the  lee-beam 
pirate  was  heard  grating  against  the  waist,  as  he 
made  ready  to  cast  aboard  his  well-lighted  Greek 
fire,  and  the  hundred  throats  of  the  pirates  were 
yelling  like  a  thousand  demons  ;  but  the  mate  had 
previously  made  his  signal  to  4'  Hard  up  the  helm  !  " 
and  then  shouted,  "  Let  go  the  spanker  !  Let  fly  the 
main-sheet !  "  orders  that  turned  the  whole  current 
of  events.  Either  the  foot  of  the  flopping  mainsail 
or  its  slatting  sheet,  struck  the  sputtering  fire  ball, 
then  burning  full  blast,  and  hurled  it  back  upon  the 
yelling  villains  below.  It  fell  among  a  crowd  so 
dense  that  the  pirates  could  neither  escape  its  flying 
particles,  nor  get  it  overboard  until  many  of  their 
number  were  burned  to  death,  and  others  were  heard 
shrieking  with  pain. 

This  uproar  added  to  the  panic  of  the  bow  pirates 
when  they  beheld  the  swift  ship  swinging  otf  till  her 
stem  struck  them  squarely  amidships,  cutting  their 
light-built  craft  asunder  at  the  first  onset.  The 
mate's  plan  had  worked  to  a  charm.  The  order  had 
been  given  to  fire  just  before  the  ship  struck  the 
pirate.  The  mad  howl  and  savage  imprecations 
rose  above  the  volley  of  musketry,  as  twenty  guns 
belched  forth  their  leaden  hail  down  among  the  mis 
creants  forward  and  amidships. 

But  there  are  always  good  fighting  men  among 
such  a  crew  of  demons,  —  men  to  rise  above  all 


THE    MX    OF    BATTLE. 


41' 


danger  and  emerge  from  any  difficulty,  and  strike 
a  few  fierce  blows  in  revenge  for  thus  being  out 
witted.  From  the  sinking  vessel  fully  fifty  armed 
pirates  leaped  upon  the  ship.  At  least  thirty  sprang 
upon  the  forward  guys  and  martingale,  or  climbed 
up  the  bobstays,  while  other  twenty  reached  the 
fore  channel  from  the  stern  of  the  sinking  fast 

boat. 

But  the  twelve  active  sailors  followed  the  example 
of  their  fighting  mate,  —  a  man  all  steel  and  whale 
bone,— who  flashed  in  a  free  fight  like  a  meteor  in 
the  sky.  The  fifty  tigerish  pirates  were  quickly 
taught  the  efficacy  of  sharp  cutting  spades  at  the  end 
of  a  twenty-foot  pole.  These  cut  down  all  guard, 
and  lopped  off  the  heads  of  the  climbing  villains 
before  many  of  them  were  near  enough  to  strike  a 
blow.  Another  class  were  those  who,  seeing  the 
day  was  against  them,  flung  away  their  arms  and 
begged  for  mercy.  About  a  dozen  of  these  were 
pulled  on  board  by  their  pigtails  and  thrust  down 
into  the  forecastle  under  guard. 

Though  the  lee-beam  pirates  were  surprised  by 
the  singular  mishap  of  the  fire  ball,  they  were  per 
haps  more  confused  by  seeing  their  forward  com 
panion  sunk  at  a  blow.  And  yet  they  were  not 
wholly  disheartened,  for  the  fire  ball  was  got  over 
board,  and  soon  after  more  than  half  a  hundred 
savage  pirates  were  climbing  into  the  main  chains,  to 
be  met  by  the  spade  slashes  of  the  crew.  ^  About 
thirty  succeeded  in  getting  on  board  at  different 


THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

times.  Braybrcok's  forward  gang  had  finished  their 
task,  and  were  just  in  the  nick  of  time  to  take  these 
midship  assailants  in  the  rear,  as  they  were  hard 
•pressing  the  few  unwounded  men  of  the  second 
mate's  gang. 

The  fight  was  going  the  worst  of  all  with  Captain 
Lawrence.  His  men  had  discharged  their  full  volley 
with  good  effect  as  the  pirates  grappled  with  the 
mizzen  channel  and  began  climbing  up  the  forward 
mast  to  the  quarter-deck.  The  crew  had  also  tum 
bled  down  their  cobble-stones  with  good  success 
upon  the  mass  of  heads  below,  killing  and  wounding 
many  of  the  pirates,  who  were  amazed  at  this  new 
warfare. 

But  the  stones  soon  came  to  an  end,  and  appar 
ently  all  their  efforts  had  been  to  no  purpose,  for 
where  they  had  killed  ten,  twenty  more  seemed  to 
rise  in  their  places,  and  on  they  came,  scaling  up  the 
ship's  quarter  like  a  swarm  of  infuriated  hornets. 

This  cunning  Chinaman  had  at  first  let  his  forward 
sail  run  down  upon  the  quarter  boat,  which  served 
as  a  covering  to  hide  his  bow  from  view  of  the  ship's 
people,  and  as  the  means  of  climbing  on  board. 
This  mast  and  sail,  with  its  numerous  bamboo  yards, 
soon  swarmed  with  climbing  pirates  scaling  the  quar 
ter  of  the  ship.  This  was  an  emergency  calling 
for  the  starboard  swivel  gun,  and  Joe  Bailey  was  on 
hand  for  the  occasion.  Depressing  the  mu/zle  of  the 
cannon  until  it  trained  fairly  down  upon  the  boarders 
in  the  act  of  springing  aboard,  Bailey  applied  the 


THE    HEADLESS    PIRATE. 


419 


torch  to   the   spiteful   thing  and   fired,  hurling  the 
whole  swiinn  of  ascending  pirates  into  eternity. 

While  the  captain's  attention  was  wholly  taken  up 
with  the  fight  at  the  mizzen  chains,  all  unnoticed  the 
pirate  chief  hauled  his  vessel  forward  half  her  length, 
till  his  after  mast  touched  the  taffrail.  Then  sud 
denly  thirty  of  the  fierce  barbarians  leaped  over  the 
stern,  led  by  their  gigantic  chief,  and  stood  arrayed, 
cutlass  in  hand,  outnumbering  Lawrence's  little  band 
nearly  three  to  one. 

Only  Lawrence  and  two  of  his  boatsteerers  had 
cutlasses  with  which  to  meet  the  miscreants,  but 
Bailey  and  the  eight  seamen  had  formidable  weapons 
in  their  long-handled  spades.  It  required  but  an 
instant  for  Lawrence  to  concentrate  the  attention  of 
his  men  upon  the  new  assailants,  who  stood  con 
fronting  them  in  full  possession  of  the  stern. 

Placing  himself  at  the  head  of  bis  men,  Lawrence 
called  upon  them  to  follow,  and  fight  now,  for  their 
lives  were  at  stake.  Meeting  the  pirates,  Lawrence 
made  a  slash  with  his  cutlass  at  their  herculean 
leader,  whose  ponderous  two-handed  sword  was  in 
the  air  in  the  act  of  descending  upon  the  captain's 
head.  At  that  instant  Uncle  Joe  let  fly  his  broad- 
bladed  cutting  spade  from  the  rear,  and  slashed  off 
the  chieftain's  head  at  a  blow,  mortally  wounding 
two  other  big  pirates  in  the  rear. 

So  clean-cut  was  the  blow  from  Bailey's  instru 
ment  that  the  headless  pirate  stood  firm  as  in  life, 
and  delivered  a  crushing  blow  with  his  weighty 


THE    ISLE    OF    PALAIS. 

weapon,  burying  his  keen  steel  deep  into  the  cap 
tain's  shoulder  till  he  staggered  back  against  the 
cabin  and  fell  upon  the  tool-chest,  blinded  and  un 
conscious  for  a  few  minutes,  and  all  supposed  him  to 
be  dead. 

Kecovering  from  this  death-like  swoon  Lawrence 
saw  that  his  few  emaining  men  were  being  hard- 
pressed  and  must  soon  succumb.  Nerved  to  the 
utmost  desperation,  the  wounded  man  aroused  him 
self  till  he  succeeded  in  drawing  one  of  his  revolvers, 
and  blazed  away  among  the  foremost  fighters,  doing 
great  execution.  While  in  the  act  of  drawing  his 
second  revolver  two  gigantic  pirates  sprang  at 
him  with  raised  cutlasses,  determined  to  stop  his 
deadly  fire  ;  a  fortunate  bullet  from  the  timely  pistol 
sufficed  for  each  assailant,  and  they  fell  dead  ;  one 
of  them  came  crashing  down  upon  the  wounded  man 
so  as  to  encumber  him  for  a  time. 

More  than  half  of  the  captain's  men  were  now 
dead  or  wounded,  and  the  pirates  remained  two  to 
their  one.  Including  Uncle  Joe,  there  were  now 
but  five  of  the  Fleetwing's  men  gathered  about  their 
prostrate  captain,  whose  revolvers  were  empty, 
leaving  him  defenceless  and  at  the  mercy  of  the  foe, 
so  that  there  was  but  little  chance  of  resisting  the 
next  onset  of  the  pirates. 

In  this  desperate  strait  Braybrook  made  his 
appearance,  followed  by  every  unwounded  man  in 
the  ship.  Then  the  cutting  and  slashing  became 
more  equal  as  the  pirates  rushed  in  for  their  last 


VICTORY    FOR    THE    FLETCT WINGS. 

onslaught.  But  they  were  met  in  the  fierce  melee 
by  such  brawny  fellows  as  Tom  Crawford,  'Tucket 
and  huge  old  Ben,  two  of  whom  had  been  in  such 
desperate  fights  before.  It  was  not  long  before 
every  pirate  on  the  quarter-deck  was  cut  down, 
though  they  were  large,  picked  men,  the  chieftain's 
body-guard  ;  men  worthy  of  such  a  leader,  for  not 
one  sought  to  retreat,  and  all  fought  bravely  till 

they  fell. 

The  pirate  vessel  had  been  cut  loose  from  her 
grapnel,  and  had  dropped  astern  and  drifted  to  the 
fee-quarter.  Her  men  were  seen  hoisting  their  tat 
tered  sails,  seeking  to  get  clear  of  the  ship  before 
they  could  be  attacked.  Uncle  Joe,  quick  to  think 
in  such  an  emergency,  sprang  over  to  the  lee-quarter 
swivel  gun,  trained  it  quickly  and  fired.  Judging 
by  the  yells  and  groans  that  followed,  the  little  can 
non  had  done  its  duty,  and  the  saintly  old  tighter  so 
expressed  it. 

"Dar,  go  'long  wid  yo',  yer  pesky  varmints. 
Doan  go  fo'ter  cut  out  yer  flukes  roun'  heah  no  mo'. 
Dat'll^do  fo'  um,  chilun.  Dem  yar  yellar  fellars 
dun-no  no  better.  We's  Christian  brudders,  we 
yam,  so  wez  furgiv'  all  dese  de'd  niggars,  an'  jes 
make  horse-pieces  ob  de  next  lot." 

It  was  an  excusable  glorification  of  a  terribly  soft 
hearted  fighter,  willing  to  kill  an  evil-doer,  but 
seeking  to  tuck  him  into  heaven  after  he  was 
slaughtered. 

Every  soul  of  the  captain's  original  fighting  gang 


422 


TIIK    ISLK    OF    PALMS. 


but  Mr.  Bailey  was  badly  wounded,  and  nearly  half 
of  them  dead.  The  doctor  was  severely  cut  up,  and 
it  remained  for  Braybrook  and  Uncle  Joe  to  dress 
the  wounds  as  best  they  could.  Both  of  them  wished 
to  attend  to  the  captain  first,  but  he  bade  them  leave 
him  till  the  last,  calling  upon  the  steward  for  a 
glass  of  water,  and  a  wet  bandage  for  his  confused 
and  aching  head. 

Thirty-two  dead  pirates  lay  upon  the  quarter-deck, 
besides  twenty-eight  corpse  in  the  waist  and  about 
the  bows,  and  probably  more  than  a  hundred  others 
had  been  killed  i<\  various  ways  during  the  attack, 
besides  those  drowned  in  the  sunken  fast  boat. 
There  were  ten  prisoners  in  the  forecastle  whom  the 
mate  had  rescued  from  the  sinking  vessel,  and  not 
ten  unwounded  men  left  in  the  ship  after  the  sicken 
ing  slaughter.  But  the  ship  was  saved  from  the 
rapacious  villains,  and  God  was  to  be  praised  for 
his  providential  care,  as  it  was  a  miracle  that  one 
was  left  alive  to  tell  the  tale. 

The  pilot  and  his  crew  were  called  up  and  the 
frightened  pilot  was  put  to  his  duty,  though  with 
many  misgivings  whether  he  were  true  man  or  false, 
which  was  yet  to  bo  settled.  The  sixty  dead  pirates 
were  piled  up  in  a  heap  in  the  loo-scuppers,  and 
covered  over  with  an  old  sail;  the  gore  was  washed 
from  the  deck  by  the  steward,  cabin-boy  and  two 
coolies. 

The  gigantic  chieftain  was  laid  out  by  himself, 
with  the  purpose  of  learning  if  the  Jlonir 


PUT    THE    TILOT    IX    IROXS.  423 

authorities  could  not  distinguish  who  he  was,  for 
he  appeared  like  a  mandarin  of  great  rank.  His 
followers  were  certainly  very  devoted  to  him,- 
showing  the  adulation  bestowed  upon  a  god, — and 
many  of  his  men  lost  their  lives  while  trying  to 
return  his  body  to  their  own  vessel.  His  headless 
trunk  was  a  model  of  herculean  symmetry.  The  joy 
ous  smile  lingering  upon  his  gory  lips  impressed  all 
with  the  conviction  that  he  loved  the  smoke  of  battle 
for  the  pleasure  it  gave.  It  seemed  a  pity  that  such 
a  leader,  such  a  superb  type  of  muscularity  and 
courage,  could  not  have  found  more  befitting  employ 
ment  for  his  capacity  to  command. 

By  the  time  the  wounded  were  fairly  cared  for, 
daylight  broke  upon  the  scene.  Captain  Lawrence 
then  suggested  to  the  mate  to  call  up  the  prisoners, 
one  by  one,  and  question  them  about  their  motive  for 
attacking  the  Fleetwing.  Most  of  them  were  sulky, 
and  unwilling  or  unable  to  enlighten  the  mate.  A 
few,  who  had  acquired  a  smattering  of  "pigeon  Eng 
lish,"  testified  that  the  leader  of  their  vessel  had, 
"Speake  me,  Mellican  shipe  habe  too  muche  boxe 
gole." 

This  reply  made  it  certain  that  some  one  on  board 
had  signaled  the  pirates  to  the  above  effect.  Upon 
this  information  the  captain  ordered  the  pilot  and 
his  crew  to  be  put  in  irons,  and  secured  by  a  chain 
down  the  main  hatchway,  and  a  signal  was  set  for 
another  pilot. 

In  the  excitement  of  seizing  the  pilot's  gang,  the 


THI-:  ISLK  OF  r.\i^:>. 

mast-head  lookout  called  out  that  the  Nine  Pins  were 
in  sight,  over  the  fog,  and  half  an  hour  after  the 
Waglan  rocks  emerged  from  the  dissolving  mist. 

The  ship  was  put  to  her  course,  with  the  design  to 
ran  in  without  a  pilot,  if  none  offered,  as  there  was 
great  need  of  surgical  care  for  the  captain,  doctor, 
and  a  half  dozen  other  severe  cases  among  the  boat- 
steerers  and  seamen. 

As  the  ship  ran  into  the  Tathong  channel  —  the 
straits  between  Hong  Kong  island  and  the  China 
coast  —  the  wind  freshened  with  the  incoming  flood- 
tide,  and  quickly  dispersed  the  cold  gray  mist,  so 
frequently  found  in  these  parts. 

Before  the  ship  was  fairly  abreast  of  Tamtoo 
island,  a  small  sampan  pilot-boat  made  its  appear 
ance,  beating  up  from  the  Ly  Moon  pass.  Her 
'pilot  was  found  suitable,  and  soon  got  on  board, 
without  having  to  check  the  ship's  way.  The  light 
sails  were  then  set,  and  favored  by  a  fresh  breeze 
and  a  fair  Hood  the  Fleetwing  soon  passed  the  nar 
row  Ly  Moon.  The  town  of  Victoria  was  seen  soon 
after,  and  the  ship  ran  in  to  her  anchorage,  abreast 
of  Kow-loon  point,  dropping  her  anchor  just  inshore 
of  the  English  flag-ship,  seen  flying  the  pennant  of  a 
vice-admiral. 


CHAPTER   XXXIV. 

ANCHORED    IX    IIOXU    KOXG. 

AMONG  the  thousand  eyes  gazing  upon  the  grace 
ful  Fleet-wing  when  she  dropped  anchor  and  let 
run  her  sails  in  Victoria  harbor,  none  could  detect 
a  trace  of  the  sanguinary  battle  that  she  had  just 
fought  against  three  hundred  of  the  most  murderous- 
minded  pirates  in  the  world.  Only  by  the  stream  of 
human  blood,  still  running  from  the  after-scupper  on 
the  port  side,  could  aught  be  detected  outboard  to 
disclose  what  had  transpired. 

But  whoever  stepped  aboard  would  at  once  be  con 
fronted  by  twenty  wounded  men  who  were  more  or 
less  injured  in  body  or  limbs,  showing  bandaged  legs 
and  arms  in  slings,  not  to  enumerate  the  five  more 
severely  wounded  ones  lying  below  in  the  steerage 
berths.  This,  together  with  the  strong  stench  of 
butchery,  which  could  only  be  likened  to  the  smell 
of  a  slaughter-house,  would  bring  one  face  to  face 
with  evidence  of  a  sea-fight. 

The  smell  of  cadaver  came  from  the  sixty  dead 
Chinamen  piled  together  in  the  larboard  waist  under 

[425] 


42(J  TIII-:  ISLI-:  OF  PALMS. 

an  old  topsail,  and  seven  of  the  dead  crew  laid  out 
on  the  try  works  under  cover  of  a  sail.  Forward, 
there  was  hardly  a  trace  of  the  murderous  work  that 
had  transpired  ;  but  about  the  starboard  quarter  and 
around  the  stern  an  observing  person  would  dis 
cover  that  the  round-house,  binnacle,  taf Frail  and 
quarter  boats  were  splintered  and  perforated  with 
bullets  and  badly  cut  with  spade  slashes  ;  for  there 
was  fought  one  of  the  most  terrible  hand-to-hand 
fights  against  Ching  Along's  gigantic  desperadoes. 

As  there  were  not  men  enough  left  in  condition  to 
furl  the  sails,  the  canvas  was  left  hanging  in  the 
buntlines  and  clewlines  awaiting  assistance  from  the 
shore,  or  aid  from  some  of  the  several  whalers  lying 
in  port.  It  was  not  long  before  two  boats  from  the 
whalers  came  alongside.  Captain  Marsh,  of  the  ' '  L. 
B.  Jenney,"  an  old  friend  of  Captain  Lawrence,  was 
the  first  to  come  aboard  ^  he  was  soon  followed  by 
Harding  of  the  ship  ''Saratoga,"  another  life-long 
friend  of  the  captain.  Marsh  had  got  his  ship 
ashore  at  Guam  and  was  undergoing  twenty  thou 
sand  dollars  repairs.  Harding  was  in  port  for  re 
cruits  and  was  fitting  for  Japan  sea. 

Captain  Lawrence  received  his  callers  in  his  cot, 
under  the  awning  on  top  of  the  cabin.  There  two 
cots  had  been  slung  for  himself  and  the  doctor; 
Greville  being  too  severely  wounded  in  the  arm, 
thigh  and  body  to  be  upon  his  feet.  Both  of  the 
wounded  officers  looked  ghastly  as  death,  and  each 
lay  with  an  arm  in  a  sling;  this,  however,  was  no 


''STRUCK    IN    A    8CHOOL."  427 

unusual  occurrence  for  a  whaler  just  in  from  a  cruise. 
After  the  greetings,  both  asked  with  one  voice  : 

"  Well,  old  fellow,  what's  happened?  Struck  a 
fio-htiiw  whale  that  was  too  much  for  you,  ha?" 

O  o  *> 

"  We  struck  in  a  school  this  time,  and  they  came 
near  being  too  much  for  us,  as  you  say,"  replied  the 
captain.  Then  turning  to  the  steward,  who  was  in 
attendance,  he  bade  him  call  aft  one  of  the  men. 

"  How's  that,  Lawrence?"  asked  Harding,  with  a 
look  of  surprise  ;  "  I  never  knew  school  whales  to  do 
so  much  mischief  as  all  this,  for  I  see  a  dozen  men 
about  deck  with  bandages  and  slings." 

"  Gentlemen,  I'll  show  you  the  kind  of  school  we 
got  into,  in  a  minute." 

"  Tom  Crawford  is  here,  sir,"'  said  the  steward. 

"  Tom,  uncover  the  dead  pirates  and  let  the  cap 
tains  see  something  of  our  morning's  work." 

"Ay,  ay,  sir  !  " 

"  We've  had  a  hard  tussle  with  a  big  school  of 
these  fellows,"  continued  the  captain,  as  Marsh  and 
Harding  walked  to  the  brink  of  the  cabin-deck  and 
looked  down. 

"  The  old  Harry  !  "  exclaimed  Harding.  "  They 
did  try  to  take  you  with  a  vengeance.  Plenty  of 
that  work  going  on  about  here  among  the  merchant 
men  ;  but  what  did  the  fools  expect  to  rind  aboard 
of  a  whaler  ?  " 

"How  were  you  hurt,  Lawrence?"  interrupted 
Marsh.  "By  cutlass  or  bullet?  Those  fellows 
poison  their  weapons  sometimes." 


428  THE    ISLK    OF     1'ALMS. 

44  Oh,  mine  is  a  sword-cut,  by  a  dead  man  !" 

"The  deuce,  and  Tom  Walker!  Why,  Law 
rence,  it  has  affected  your  brain  already.  Better 
not  talk  any  more,  and  we'll  have  a  doctor  aboard  to 
see  you." 

"  My  doctor  happens  to  be  worse  off  than  I  am, 
and  can't  officiate  in  this  case.  Dr.  Greville,  Cap 
tains  Marsh  and  Harding  "  -  introducing  his  friends. 
"  My  wound  has  not  been  thoroughly  examined  yet, 
only  slightly  dressed  by  the  mate  ;  and  I  would  like 
one  of  you  to  send  your  boat  aboard  the  admiral  for 
a  surgeon ;  and  also  see  that  my  sails  are  furled,  as 
we  are  too  short-handed  to  do  much  ship  work." 

"  Certainly,  old  boy  !  "  said  Harding.  "  I'll  attend 
to  that  matter  myself.  I  know  the  old  covey,  well. 
Seymore  is  a  good  fellow  and  he  will  be  interested  in 
looking  after  this  pirate  business." 

"  Yes,  indeed,  "  interrupted  Marsh,  "  this  fighting 
of  yours  should  put  the  naval  gang  to  the  blush. 
Nothing  so  grand  as  this  since  we  had  our  two  days' 
fight  with  the  Malay  pirates  off  Cockatoo  point,  in 
the  straits  of  Sunda,  when  we  were  boatsteerers 
together." 

"  Well,  I'm  off  for  a  doctor.  Marsh  will  look  after 
the  sails  and  such  matters." 

Away  went  the  impulsive  Harding,  soon  as  his 
boat  could  be  manned.  He  was  met  by  a  cutter, 
before  he  got  half  way  to  the  man-o'-war,  coming  in 
charge  of  a  midshipman,  and  seeking  commercial 
news. 


VISIT    FROM    TUP:    ADMIRAL.  429 

Several  merchants  soon  after  arrived  from  shore, 
coming  off  in  the  custom  house  boat,  whose  officers 
came  on  official  business.  These  were  followed  by 
the  health  officer,  who,  strange  to  say,  left  a  "  clean 
bill  of  health,"  though  dead  men  lay  in  heaps,  and 
the  wounded  were  everywhere  to  be  seen.  But 
death  by  stabs  and  bullet  wounds  is  not  deemed 
disease. 

Captain  Lawrence  had  by  this  time  become  so 
weak  from  talking  that  he  came  near  fainting. 
Marsh  at  once  took  the  command  and  forbade  visit 
ors  approaching  the  cot ;  and  requested  Braybrook 
to  attend  to  all  new-comers,  give  them  the  news,  and 
send  them  off  with  despatch.  Up  to  this  time  the 
captain  had  kept  his  spirits  up  by  excitement  and 
sheer  force  of  will,  now  reaction  had  taken  place, 
and  his  wound  pained  him  severely. 

About  half  an  hour  after  the  admiral's  boat  was 
seen  coming.  Marsh  reported  that  the  old  veteran 
was  there  himself,  accompanied  by  his  flag-captain, 
Walsh,  the  surgeon  and  Harding.  The  steward 
brought  up  some  chairs  from  the  cabin,  and  made 
ready  to  receive  the  naval  gentlemen.  The  renewed 
excitement  of  their  coming  had  the  effect  to  again 
nerve  Lawrence  up  to  the  highest  tension. 

When  the  Englishmen  arrived  alongside,  the  mate 
received  them  at  the  gangway,  and  Marsh  ushered 
them  up  under  the  awning,  where  Seymore,  Walsh 
and  the  surgeon  were  introduced  to  the  captain. 
After  a  brief  ^reetin^  the  admiral  ordered  the  stir- 


430  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

geon  to  strip  the  captain's  wound  and  give  it  his 
immediate  attention.  And  the  four  spectators  stood 
eagerly  by,  watching  the  deft,  professional  handling 
of  the  ghastly  wound  by  the  brusque  old  sawbones. 
It  was  a  sight  to  sicken  the  inexperienced  in  such 
matters,  and  all  were  anxious  to  hear  the  surgeon's 
diagnosis. 

"Well,  McDonald,  what  have  you  to  say  about 
this  terrible  wound  ?  "  urged  the  impatient  Seymore. 

"It  is  a  frightful  gash,  sir.  I'm  thinking  that 
none  but  a  Hercules  could  have  struck  such  a  blow. 
Captain  Lawrence  has  made  much  too  light  of  it, 
altogether.  The  left  clavicle  is  half  cut  through,  and 
I  wonder  at  its  adhering.  The  head  of  the  scapula 
is  badly  chipped  off,  and  several  ligaments  about 
the  wound  are  nearly  severed.  That  is  my  diag 
nosis,  sir." 

"  Yes,  yes,  Mack  !  But  what  is  your  prognosis? 
Give  us  the  whole  story,  and  don't  mince  matters." 

"  Inflammation  is  sure  to  supervene,  and  the  fever 
will  run  high  in  this  nasty  humid  climate.  A  slight 
blow  or  wrench  would  fracture  that  clavicle,  so  the 
patient  must  be  closely  watched  if  he  gets  out  of  his 
head.  The  gist  of  the  matter  is,  sir,  that  nothing 
but  the  best  attention  will  prevent  pya'inia  before 
healthy  recuperation  begins." 

"  How's  that?  Lawrence  is  strong  and  vigorous, 
and  not  of  a  suppurativc  constitution.  What  should 
induce  blood-poisoning  in  a  subject  of  this  kind?" 

"The  nerve-shock  has  been    >rvcre.      The   blood 


THE  SURGEON'S  DIAGNOSIS.  431 

has  been  greatly  overheated,  as  we  see  by  the  froth 
in  the  wound,  and  above  all  else  erysipelas  is  threat 
ened,  and  pyaemia  is  likely  to  follow." 

"Well,  Doctor,  look  closely  after  this  case,  and 
your  brother  physician,  as  a  special  favor  to  me. 
Send  aboard  some  of  your  assistant  surgeons  to  take 
all  the  other  cases  in  hand."  Turning  to  the  captain 
he  said,  "You  have  heard  your  case  fairly  stated, 
Captain  Lawrence,  and  you  must  be  put  upon  your 
best  behavior.  Now  I'd  like  one  of  your  officers  to 
tell  us  something  more  about  how  and  where  you 
were  attacked,  that  I  may  send  out  a  vessel  and  look 
the  ground  over." 

"  Oh,  I  will  tell  you  the  story  myself,  Admiral.'' 

"But  lam  afraid  to  have  you  talk  too  much; 
erysipelas  and  blood-poisoning  are  threatened,  you 
know,  Captain." 

"  Many  thanks  to  the  surgeon  for  showing  up  the 
worst  side  of  my  case  ;  forewarned  forearmed,  you 
know,  Doctor.  I  feel  sort  of  pent  up,  and  must  talk 
or  explode."  The  surgeon  who  was  dressing  Gre- 
ville's  wounds  shrugged  his  shoulders  at  this  sort  of 
Yankee  gospel. 

Lawrence  persisted  in  relating  the  pirate  fight  in 
detail,  stopping  occasionally  to  rest,  and  perhaps 
contemplating  the  pyaemia  in  the  pauses.  lie  en 
larged  mostly  upon  the  bravery  of  his  officers  and 
men.  Especially  did  he  astonish  his  listeners  in 
relating  Uncle  Joe's  wonderful  feat  of  beheading  the 
great  chieftain,  and  mortally  wounding  two  other  of 


432  TIIK     ISI.K    OK     I'AL.MS. 

his  big  fighters  at  one  spade-cut,  ending  his  spirited 
narrative  by  saying,  "  So  you  see,  Admiral,  that  I 
did  really  receive  my  wound  from  a  dead  man." 

This  so  aroused  the  curiosity  of  the  naval  com 
manders  that  they  requested  to  see  the  big  pirate. 
Tom  was  called  aft  again  to  uncover  the  giant  and 
his  desperadoes  ;  while  the  sail  was  being  removed 
from  the  dead,  Seymore,  Walsh  and  the  others  stood 
on  the  cabin-deck  to  view  them  ;  no  sooner  was  the 
gigantic  pirate  exposed  to  view,  and  his  severed 
head  turned,  face  to  the  audience,  than  Walsh  ex 
claimed,  with  amazement  pictured  on  his  face  : 

"  Bless  my  soul,  Admiral,  that's  Ching  Along, 
the  commodore  of  the  whole  coast  fleet.  Why, 
Lawrence,  my  boy,  you're  entitled  to  a  thousand 
pounds  reward  for  that  fellow's  head — that's  five 
thousand  dollars  of  your  Yankee  money.  That  pirate 
was  the  most  inveterate  fighter  out  of  Halifax,  to 
say  nothing  about  t'other  place." 

"  Truly,  Captain,  you've  done  a  fine  thing  in 
accomplishing  the  death  of  that  monster.  I've  been 
made  nervous  many  a  night  thinking  of  that  villain's 
atrocious  deeds,  assassinations  and  kidnapping,  done 
under  our  very  guns,"  said  the  admiral. 

"Only  a  week  ago,"  continued  Walsh,  "his 
favorite  mistress  betrayed  him  up  at  Canton.  There 
he  showed  his  mettle  by  killing  live  officers  and  two 
Chinaman,  and  escaped  almost  unseat  lied.  He's  the 
same  cunning  fellow  that  escaped  my  five  sloops  and 
cutters  out  oil'  Ainoy.  We  penned  in  and  destroyed 


UNCLE  JOE  AND  THE  ADMIRAL. 

twenty  pirate  vessels  during  that  cruise.  But  Ching 
Along  was  too  smart  for  us  ;  he  escaped  by  a  miracle. 
Why,  gentlemen,  that  villain  ran  my  broadside  at 
pistol  shot,  and  we  knocked  more  holes  through  his 
fast  boat  than  my  sloop  had  ports.  But  his  handy 
men  had  a  plug  for  every  shot-hole  in  no  time. 
Ching  Along  crossed  our  stern  and  took  the  weather 
gauge  of  us,  and  blame  me  if  he  didn't  tire  his  pistol 
contemptuously  at  our  ilag,  then  take  off  his  hat  and 
bow  to  us,  politely  as  Johnny  Crapeau.  Once  to  the 
windward  of  our  ships,  and  he  could  sail  two  feet  to 
our  one.  Give  us  your  well  hand,  Captain  Lawrence, 
for  you  have  done  a  big  service  for  us  all." 

"Yes,  indeed,"  joined  in  the  admiral,  "and  the 
reward  will  be  quite  a  lift  for  you,  quite  a  lift,  sir. 
It's  the  very  best  dressing  for  your  wound  that  I 
know  of.  I  shall  look  to  see  you  out  in  a  few  weeks, 
with  that  to  aid.  Five  thousand,  remember,  and  I'll 
admon-sh  the  authorities  to  pay  it  promptly.'  And 
the  old  admiral  entered  quite  into  the  spirit  of  the 
thing,  for  the  big  pirate  had  been  a  terrible  scourge 
to  commerce  for  years  back. 

"  But,  Sir  Michael,  it  was  my  third  mate  who  did 
the  business  for  that  fellow,  and  deserves  the  reward. 
But  for  Mr.  Bailey's  quick  work  Ching  Along  would 
have  wiped  me  out  of  existence  as  easily  as  one 
destroys  a  fly." 

"  Never  mind  who  killed  the  big  villain,  you  are 
in  command.  But  where  is  that  meretorious  officer? 
Let  me  thank  him  personally  for  his  brave  deed. 


431-  TIN-:    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

You  arc  the  master,  and  can  dispose  of  the  reward 
in  any  way  you  like." 

Mr.  Bailey  was  sent  for  and  came  diffidently  into 
the  presence  of  the  naval  officers,  and  was  presented 
to  Seymore,  who  thanked  him  for  his  brave  and 
novel  deed,  adding : 

"Mr.  Bailey,  Captain  Lawrence  gives  you  the 
credit  of  killing  Ching  Along,  and  I  am  surprised 
that  an  old  person  like  you  could  have  done  such 
excellent  fighting, — yes,  excellent  is  the  word,  sir, 
for  such  a  timely  blow." 

"  "VVeel,  sah,  I  specs  yo'  doan  kno'  my  cap'n. 
Him  allus  gib  udder  folkes  all  de  credit  fo'  de  gude 
t'ings.  But,  Massa  Admiral,  dis  chile  look'd  ober 
dose  yere  de'd  lambs  arter  de  butch'ry  wuz  ober ; 
an',  sah,  dis  niggar's  one  eye  counted  seben  bull 
sheep  in  dat  yere  flock  wid  de  cap'n's  minie-balls 
in  dar  gizzard;  'hides  fo'  udders  dat  wuz  winged. 
An'  all  dat  wuz  dun,  sah,  whin  de  cap'n's  larboard 
flipper  hung  floppin',  like  de  broken  wing  ob  ar 
gony." 

Tears  were  seen  trickling  down  the  deep  gutters 
in  Joe  Bailey's  black  cheeks  as  he  stood  gazing  into 
the  pale  face  of  his  loved  commander,  —  tears  that 
were  sufficiently  contagious  to  afreet  the  eyes  of  the 
aged  admiral,  who  walked  quickly  up  to  the  cap 
tain's  cot  and  grasped  his  hand,  as  he  exclaimed  : 

"  By  Jove,  sir,  you  deserve  to  have  the  command 
of  my  best  frigate,  for  this  heroism.  Hasten  your 
recovery,  young  man,  and  come  and  dine  with  me 


GOD    SAVE    THE    QUEEN  . 


t  ••> 


435 


the  first  moment  you  are  able.  You've  done  a  brave 
act ;  a  "Teat  service  to  the  country.  And  the  Queen 
shall  hear  of  it  from  my  own  lips,  sir.  God  save 
the  Queen  !  "  And  the  old  man  bared  his  silvery 
head,  —  whether  in  memory  of  her  Majesty,  or  the 
heroic  deed  ;  probably  from  a  mixed  reverence  for 
nobility,  in  whatever  shape  he  found  it. 

"Thank  you,  Admiral  Seymore  ;  I  am  heartily 
glad  to  have  met  your  approbation.  But  I  have 
done  no  more  than  any  other  ship-master  would  have 
done  in  my  place.  I  accept  your  invitation  with 
pleasure,  and  will  send  word  aboard  the  flag-ship  as 
soon  as  I  am  able  to  be  up  and  about.  I  appreciate 
your  kindness  in  bringing  the  surgeon,  and  hope 
you  will  let  some  of  your  doctors  attend  my  seamen, 
several  of  whom  are  badly  off.  I  think  my  own 
case  will  get  along  nicely  now." 

"  Certainly,  sir,  certainly.— Doctor,  you  and  your 
assistants  will  please  give  these  cases  all  the  atten 
tion  required  until  they  fully  convalesce." 

"  Yes,  sir,  I  shall  attend  these  cases  with  a  good 
relish,"  replied  McDonald. 

44  Now,  gentlemen,  I  must  bid  you  good-day. 
Keep  quiet,  Captain,  till  your  wound  closes.  Uncle 
Bailey,  if  I  were  going  into  naval  action  I  should 
like  nothing  better  than  to  have  you  there  to  repel 
boarders.  What  do  you  say  to  enlisting  on  board  the 
flag-ship,  with  a  whale-lance  and  a  cutting  spade?" 
"No,  t'ank  yer,  sah.  Dis  chile  duzn't  like  de 
biz'ness.  Dose  yere  po'  lambs  luke  so  human  arter 


TIIK     ISLK    OF    PALMS. 


dey's  de'd,  dat  I  t'ink  p'raps  de  Lawd  meant  ter  make 
spec'ble  pussuns  on  urn.  1's  feard  dis  niggar  put 
in  leedle  too  much  rantankerus  whin  him  spade  does 
yallar  critters.  But,  Massa  Admiral,  dose  tarual 
willains  did  luke  awful  sabage  whin  dey  cum  'board. 
An'  I  spec  Gawd  A'mighty  wull  furgib  de  leedle 
David  what  killed  dat  big  Goliah." 

"Ah,  I  see,  Uncle  Bailey,  you  are  one  of  our 
Cromwell's  terrible  Puritans  ;  fellows  who  pray 
lustily  before  and  after  the  battle,  but  cunning 
enough  to  <  keep  their  powder  dry.'  —  Captain 
Walsh,  we  must  be  going." 

"  One  word  more  before  you  go,  Admiral,"  hailed 
the  captain,  as  the  naval  officers  were  about  to 
depart. 

"  Yes,  a  dozen  if  you  wish.  But  I  am  thinking 
of  sending  out  a  steamer  to  look  over  your  fighting 
ground.  West  by  N.,  I  think  you  said  the  Nine 
Pins  bore,  after  the  action?" 

"About  that,  sir;  and  twenty  miles  distant. 
Your  vessel  will  find  plenty  of  rubbish  where  we 
sunk  the  bow  pirate,  if  the  officer  deduct  for  the 
drift  of  the  wind,  and  half  the  run  of  a  flood  tide. 
But  what  I  wished  to  say,  Sir  Michael,  to  you  and 
the  gentlemen  present,  is  that  we  found  a  bit  of 
treasure  in  an  old  Spanish  wreck,  at  the  Isle  of 
Palms."  ' 

"Indeed,  Captain,  glad  to  hear  it.  Anything 
worth  mentioning?"  said  Seymore,  as  he  turned  to 
descend  the  steps. 


FURLING    SAILS.  437 

"  Our  smallest  estimate  of  the  bullion  is  about  five 
million  dollars." 

< '  The  deuce  you  have  ! "  And  the  old  officer 
turned  and  came  back  up  the  stair. 

"  Yes,  and  that's  what  the  pirates  were  after." 

"Well,  well  !  But  then  you  Yankees  are  full  of 
surprises.  Truly  you  are  a  lucky  fellow,  in  more 
ways  than  one.  You  must  tell  me  about  this  Spanish 
wreck  when  you  dine  aboard." 

"  We  have  ten  prisoners  from  the  pirate  vessels, 
and  the  villainous  pilot  and  two  of  his  crew.  What 
are  we  to  do  with  them  ?  " 

"  We  could  take  charge  of  them  if  you  wish.  But 
perhaps  it  would  be  best  to  hand  them  over  to  the 
shore  authorities,  as  they  Avill  have  to  deal  with 
them." 

"A  small  squad  of  marines  might  be  of  service, 
to  stand  guard  while  the  treasure  is  on  board,"  sug- 

~ 

gested  Captain  Walsh. 

"  Yes,  if  the  captain  wishes  it.  But  I  should  say 
that  a  few  more  like  that  godly  old  third  mate,  with 
cutting  spades,  could  take  excellent  care  of  the 
ship  and  all  on  board.  Well,  good-day  once  more. 
Come,  Walsh,  we  will  go  aboard." 

It  was  not  long  before  a  steam  sloop  was  seen 
under- weigh  and  steaming  out  through  the  Ly  Moon 
pass,  on  her  way  out  to  the  recent  scene  of  action. 
The  sails  were  now  furled,  and  the  ship  tidied  up, 
after  the  litter  of  chains,  tackles  and  pendants,  usual 
to  coming  into  port.  The  carpenter  was  fortunately 


Till-:    ISLK    OF    1'ALMS. 

able  to  make  the  coffins  for  the  dead,  securing  the 
blubber-room  for  his  workshop.  Captain  Harding 
had  proffered  his  services  about  the  burial,  and  had 
gone  ashore  to  secure  a  lot  for  the  reception  of  the 
dead  seamen. 


CHAPTER   XXXV. 

LOVE    AT    FIRST    SIGHT. 

NEITHER  Captain  Lawrence  nor  his  brave  officers 
realized  that  they  had  done  such  gallant  deeds 
until  the  naval  commanders  made  so  much  ado  about 
it.  As  pirates  would  never  attempt  to  resist  a  man- 
of-war,  it  follows  that  naval  vessels  could  never  be 
favored  with  such  an  opportunity  as  was  thrust  upon 
this  American  whaler.  The  so-called  luck  of  the 
Fleetwing  in  this  action  consisted  in  her  having 
been  well  armed,  and  having  a  crew  and  officers 
thoroughly  disciplined  for  any  emergency  of  storm 

or  battle. 

Many  whaling  crews,  after  having  been  inured  to 
whale-fights,  have  been  known  to  fight  their  first  bat 
tle  against  savages  or  pirates  like  well-drilled  sol 
diers.  It  was  the  result  of  their  previous  discipline, 
which  insured  concert  of  action  in  time  of  need, 
rather  than  mere  adventitious  bravery.  As  far  as 
coolness  in  battle  and  fighting  pluck  go,  in  testing 
the  quality  of  courage  in  man,  certainly  there  was 
more  desperate  bravery  exhibited  in  Joe  Bailey's 

[439] 


440  T!I"    ISLK    OF    PALMS. 

terrible  whale-fight  with  Mocha  Dick    than    in  jiny 
amount  of  combat  with  savage  men. 

Later  in  the  day  some  of  the  shore  authorities 
came  oft' to  take  charge  of  the  prisoners,  and  remove 
the  dead  pirates  for  sepulture.  When  the  ship  was 
rid  of  the  prisoners  and  the  dead  foreigners,  no 
more^  boats  were  allowed  alongside,  except  they 
brought  friends  or  came  upon  special  business.  A 
morbid  curiosity  induced  thousands  of  shore  people 
to  gather  about  the  Fleetwing,  hoping  to  see  the 
dead  pirates  and  hear  about  their  capture.  Many  of 
these  people  were  desperate  characters,  and  could 
not  be  allowed  on  board. 

Toward  night  the  English  sloop  of  Avar  returned 
from  her  cruise  about  the  scene  of  1he  pirate  fight. 
The  officers  discovered  more  than  a  hundred  corpse 
floating  about  in  the  litter  of  wreckage  where  the 
bow  pirate  was  sunk.  They  brought  back  the  for 
ward  lateen-sail  belonging  to  the  sunken  vessel, 
which  was  buoyed  up  by  its  twenty  bamboo  yards. 
Several  sweeps,  water-casks,  hen-coops  and  other 
deck  fixtures  were  seen  scattered  over  the  sea  where 
the  terrible  conflict  took  place.  All  that  could  be 
learned  about  Ching  Along's  vessel  —  which  was 
well  known  among  the  coasters  —  was  that  she  dis 
appeared  to  the  east  in  the  direction  of  Hivakcis' 
Point. 

The  Fleetwing  had  arrived  in  port  at  an  opportune 
time  for  financial  matters.  Some  twenty  ship-mas 
ters  were  having  trouble  with  the  money-lender- 


CONSULAR   KXAVES.  441 

about  rates  of  exchange.  A  great  fraud  had  been 
attempted  by  one  of  the  leading  consular  houses  of 
the  place,  and  the  crisis  had  reached  its  acme  the 
day  of  the  ship's  arrival.  This  subject  should  be 
thoroughly  ventilated  for  the  benefit  of  mariners 
who  contemplate  trading  at  Hong  Kong,  as  it  is  a 
veritable  transaction,  though  long  gone  by. 

In  the  eastern  ports  of  the  Pacific,  including 
Hawaii  and  Tahiti,  it  was  customary  in  those  years 
to  loan  money  to  ship-masters  at  so  much  per  cent, 
exchange ;  but  at  Hong  Kong,  and  the  neighboring 
commercial  ports,  the  prevailing  method  was  to 
make  loans  at  some  stipulated  rate  of  discount,  —  a 
method  not  appreciated  by  borrowers  coming  from 
the  East. 

Wishing  to  compete  with  the  merchant  princes  of 
the  port,  the  great  consular  house  of  Blank,  Blank 
£  Co.  sought  to  dispose  of  numerous  large  loans 
by  offering  to  lend  money  at  twenty-five  per  cent, 
exchange,  while  the  mercantile  houses  demanded 
twenty-five  per  cent,  discount.  Now,  the  difference 
bstween  exchange  and  discount,  at  the  above  loan 
rate,  is  one  hundred  dollars  on  a  thousand.  As 
many  of  the  captains  required  ten  thousand  dollars, 
it  will  be  seen  that  they  could  better  themselves  one 
thousand  dollars  by  hiring  money  of  the  consul. 

The  agreement  with  Blank,  Blank  &  Co.  was 
made  by  different  groups  of  ship-masters  at  various 
times.  Though  it  was  but  a  verbal  understanding, 
it  was  always  made  before  several  witnesses.  Yet, 


THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

after  the  captains  had  completed  their  purchases, 
accomplished  extensive  repairs  on  their  ships,  and 
were  ready  to  disburse  the  promised  money  to  liqui 
date  expenses,  they  were  told  that  one  and  all  were 
mistaken  about  the  agreement  being  for  exchange 
instead  of  discount. 

Feeling  that  a  gross  wrong  was  attempted,  the 
captains  had  refused  to  draw  a  dollar  from  the  con 
sular  house.  When  they  applied  at  the  mercantile 
houses  of  the  place  it  was  found  that  all  were  solid 
for  the  original  rates  of  discount.  It  is  due  to  Mr. 
Blank,  senior,  to  state  that  he  was  absent  at  the  time, 
and  this  nefarious  brokerage  was  conceived  and  its 
perpetration  attempted  by  the  junior  member  of  the 
firm.  It  may  be  remarked,  en  passant,  that  the 
consulate  was  about  to  change  hands.  The  new  con 
sul,  General  K ,  had  already  arrived,  but  came 

somewhat  ahead  of  the  date  of  his  commission. 
This  fact  may  disclose  another  ulterior  motive,  and 
show  a  wish  to  make  their  last  commercial  transac 
tion  as  remunerative  as  possible,  though  it  should 
be  accomplished  by  fraud. 

Before  night,  on  the  day  of  the  Fleetwing's  ar 
rival,  it  became  known  that  she  had  millions  of 
treasure  to  loan.  It  was  the  general  topic  of  con 
versation  on  Queen  Street,  and  in  financial  circles 
was  of  paramount  interest  to  the  terrible  pirate  liirhl. 
Every  person  in  want  of  money,  as  well  as  people 
having  it  to  loan,  Hocked  oil'  to  the  ship  to  inquire 
the  truthfulness  of  the  report,  and  the  rates  de- 


THE    TABLES    TURNEI?.  443 

manded.  To  these  queries  the  invariable  answer 
was,  ''Five  per  cent,  less  than  the  ruling  rates  on 
shore  to-day  or  at  any  time  hereafter." 

The  effect  of  this  upon  all  the  leading  financiers 
was  most  charming.  Mr.  Blank,  junior,  had  obtained 
the  startling  news  early  in  the  day  by  his  office  run 
ner.  Immediately  the  consular  clerks  were  posted 
off  with  perfumed  notes  to  all  the  outraged  captains, 
stating  in  polite  and  mollient  language  that,  "The 

consul  had  concluded  to  accede  to  Captain  E 's 

understanding  of  that  loan  matter,  if  the  captain  will 
kindly  give  it  his  earliest  attention,  and  draw  on  us 
at  once  according  to  his  agreement." 

Captains  Marsh  and  Harding  were  the  first  to 
board  the  Fleet  wing  and  learn  the  above  news. 
Captain  Marsh,  who  was  undergoing  an  expense  of 
twenty  thousand  dollars,  at  once  took  measures  to 
inform  every  ship-master  in  port.  He  even  went  so 
far  as  to  send  word  by  a  swift  fast-boat  to  Canton, 
where  several  of  the  captains  had  gone  in  search  of 
funds.  Consequently,  when  the  little  perfumed 
notes  came  from  the  honorable  Blank,  junior,  the 
honeyed  concession  proffered  by  the  consul  was  too 
late  to  entrap  any  one.  The  tables  were  beautifully 
turned  upon  every  usurious  financier  in  port. 

Several  of  the  ship-masters  related  their  grievances 
to  Captain  Lawrence.  Some  of  their  stories  were 
novel  enough  to  be  told.  Captain  Baston,  of  the 
ship  "Parachute,"  had  contracted  indebtedness  to 
the  amount  of  five  thousand  dollars.  To  expedite 


444  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

matters  in  getting  away  from  port,  he  cleared  his 
ship  at  the  custom-house,  and  ordered  his  mate  to 
beat  out  through  the  Ly  Moon  and  anchor ;  there  he 
would  meet  the  vessel,  and  thus  save  one  tide. 

Having  previously  ordered  all  his  outstanding 
accounts  brought  to  his  consignee,  Mr.  'VVm.  Emery, 
—  the  English  merchant, — he  there  met  his  tailor, 
butcher,  market-man,  washer-woman  and  dozens  of 
other  importunate  tradespeople,  looked  over  their 
bills,  and  "accepted"  all  on  the  face  of  them. 
Then,  at  the  earliest  office  hours,  Baston  ascended 
the  hill  to  the  consulate  to  draw  his  money,  and 
sign  the  three  usual  bills  of  exchange  to  liquidate 
his  debt  with  Mr.  Blank. 

Imagine  the  surprise  and  indignation  of  this  hon 
est  seafarer  when  told  that  he  was  mistaken  about 
there  being  such  an  agreement,  and  a  demand  of 
five  hundred  dollars  additional  charge  was  made 
before  he  could  obtain  the  money  required.  Refus 
ing  to  comply  with  such  a  usurious  demand,  he 
returned  to  his  consignee,  met  his  eager  creditors, 
and  explained  the  situation. 

The  captain's  explanation  was  not  accepted  with 
good  grace.  Most  of  the  suspicious  Chinamen  believed 
that  it  was  a  case  of  trying  to  pay  bills  "  under  the 
fore-topsail,"  —  a  nautical  way  in  which  forecastle 
Jack  frequently  pays  his  bills  when  leaving  port. 

Explanations  were  of  no  avail.  The  almond-eyed 
creditors  knew  that  the  ship  was  gone,  which  im 
plied  that  the  government  dues  were  paid.  And 


CAPTAIN  BASTON'S  STORY.  445 

as  the  captain  appeared  with  the  ship's  « *  papers " 
under  his  arm,  he  could  now  go  to  sea  himself  if  he 
was  dishonest  enough  to  do  so,  and  they  believed 
that  he  was. 

One  angry  Celestial  after  another  thrust  his  bill 
into  the  captain's  face  and  demanded  pay.  They 
followed  him  from  one  merchant's  office  to  another, 
—  a  mob  of  panic-stricken  creditors,  —  heralding 
this  honest  ship-master  as  a  villain  to  all  who  would 
lend  ear. 

One  dolorous  creditor,  more  importunate  than 
his  fellows,  so  constantly  thrust  his  trifling  bill  into 
Captain  Baston's  face  that  he  became  indignant, 
caught  up  the  bill,  tore  it  into  a  hundred  pieces  and 
threw  the  bits  of  paper  to  the  wind,  as  he  hurried 
along  the  street.  The  injured  creditor  disappeared 
from  the  crowd,  uttering  many  imprecations  in 
pigeon  English  against  Baston. 

"An  hour  after,  when  Captain  Baston  returned, 
unsuccessful,  to  his  consignee,  the  aggrieved  Celestial 
was  there  with  a  sheriff,  who,  in  his  official  capac 
ity,  presented  the  hundred  pieces  of  torn  bill,  now 
gummed  together  in  readable  shape,  and  demanded 
immediate  payment.  A  good  laugh  was  had  at  the 
captain's  expense,  in  which  he  could  not  help  join 
ing,  at  the  ingenuity  displayed.  But  when  the  true 
condition  of  affairs  was  explained  to  the  officer  he 
did  not  force  a  collection,  but  sent  away  his  client, 
as  well  as  all  the  other  creditors,  much  to  the  relief 
of  the  persecuted  Baston. 


44(> 


TIIK     ISLE    OF    PALMS. 


When  he  learned  these  circumstances  Captain 
Lawrence  expressed  his  warmest  sympathy  for  his 
brother  masters,  and  agreed  to  loan  them  all  the 
money  they  required  at  twenty  per  cent,  rate  of  ex 
change.  The  result  was,  that  before  night  of  the 
second  day  he  succeeded  in  loaning  two  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  dollars  on  some  of  the  most  relia 
ble  ship-owners  in  America. 

This  was  not  pleasant  news  at  the  consulate,  or 
for  any  of  the  financiers  at  Victoria,  who  had  accu 
mulated  large  sums  of  money  to  meet  spring  transac 
tions,  for  they  were  likely  to  have  their  hoards  left 
upon  their  hands.  Lawrence  had  cut  down  the  loan 
rates  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  on  a  thousand, 
and  had  further  promised  to  keep  his  future  rates 
five  per  cent,  under  those  on  shore,  however  much 
the  shore  rates  might  depreciate. 

The  most  popular  merchants  and  ship-chandlers 
then  at  Hong  Kong  were  the  American  house  of 
Rawl,  Drinker  &  Co.,  a  Philadelphia  firm.  Captain 
Drinker  had  been  an  old  China  captain,  and  was 
well  liked  by  his  brother  masters.  He  kept  open 
house  for  all  masters  doing  business  with  the  firm. 

After  some  days  Lawrence  and  the  doctor  became 

so  feverish  from  their  wounds  that  the  naval  surgeon 

e 

insisted  on  their  being  taken  ashore.  The  ship  was 
given  in  charge  of  Braybrook,  and  the  captain  took 
rooms  near  other  masters  at  the  Drinker  House. 
The  residence  was  built  upon  the  high  stone  b.-ittle- 
ment  which  there  >kirN  the  shore  ;  there  were  einbra- 


DISPOSING    OF    THE    TREASURE.  447 

sures  made  for  cannon  in  this  massive  sea-wall,  in 
case  of  need  in  time  of  war.  The  sea-wall  which 
overhangs  the  granite  quays  was  so  built  that  the 
captains  could  overlook  their  ships  when  anchored 
along  the  shore.  They  could  also  oversee  the  boats 
while  landing  cargo  at  the  quay ;  and  if  required, 
hail  the  men  when  entering  the  portcullis  beneath 
the  ramparts. 

Through  the  aid  of  Messrs.  Rawl  &  Drinker,  Law 
rence  obtained  further  exchange  for  over  a  million 
dollars  more  of  his  treasure.  It  was  loaned  at  some 
what  reduced  rates  to  the  merchants  of  Manila, 
Shanghai  and  Singapore.  This,  together  with  a  loan 
of  five  hundred  thousand  dollars  accomplished  with 
Messrs.  Russell  &  Sturgis  of  Canton,  and  the  half 
million  placed  by  the  captain  himself  during  the  first 
days  of  his  arrival,  footed  up  something  more  than 
two  millions  of  treasure  already  disposed  of ;  and  the 
captain  felt  sure  that  he  should  secure  every  ne\v 
arrival  in  port,  if  the  vessels  required  funds  for  repairs 
or  purchases. 

After  some  weeks'  deliberation,  and  frequent  ad 
visement  with  the  most  sagacious  China  masters  in 
port,  Lawrence  concluded  to  purchase  a  cargo  of 
silks  and  teas  for  the  home  market;  this  promised 
to  be  even  a  better  investment  than  the  twenty  per 
centum  loans.  In  this  way,  nearly  a  million  dollars 
more  of  the  ship's  massive  hoard  would  be  disposed 

of. 

Having  come  to  this  conclusion,  other  matters  of 


448  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

importance  confronted  the  captain.  As  the  ship  had 
been  badly  wrenched  in  every  seam  and  timber- 
head  when  she  was  stoven  by  the  breaching  whale, 
it  was  deemed  necessary  to  discharge  the  sperm  oil 
and  take  ashore  the  remaining  treasure  to  the  bank. 
The  carpenters  and  calkers  could  then  have  free 
sweep  to  repair  the  vessel  and  inspect  her  from  keel 
son  to  planksheer. 

Furthermore,  as  the  oil  had  to  be  taken  out  of  the 
ship  and  exposed  to  the  sun,  at  the  risk  of  leakage, 
it  was  thought  best  to  freight  it  to  England,  where 
it  would  net  £1  10s.  per  barrel  more  than  in  the 
home  market.  As  a  second-class  ship  lying  in  port 
-unsuited  for  a  China  cargo  —  was  up  for  charter, 
Lawrence  induced  several  other  whalers  to  join  him 
in  securing  the  vessel  and  loading  her  for  Liverpool. 
In  this  way  the  oil  from  the  Fleetwing  was  trans 
shipped  to  the  "  Dreadnaught,"  without  loss  by  leak 
age  in  landing,  which  had  been  quite  a  serious  matter 
with  Captain  Marsh's  oil. 

What  remained  of  the  treasure  was  sold  to  tho 
Chinese  goldsmiths,  Ching  Wong,  of  Canton,  and  the 
great  firm  of  Xing  Bay  &  Co.  of  Hong  Kong.  Both 
of  these  affluent  merchants  gave  Lawrence  their 
drafts  on  the  Victoria  bank.  Tims  all  anxiety 
about  the  disposal  of  the  Fleetwing's  bullion  was 
happily  ended,  for  the  great  English  banking  house 
was  one  of  the  safest  known  in  foreign  parts. 

After  the  cargo  had  been  discharged,  tho  ship  was 
towed  into  Mathewson'a  shipyard  and  hauled  out 


GOING    ASHORE.  449 

upon  the  ways  for  a  thorough  calking  and  general 
repairs.  Her  stoven  side  had  been  repaired  at  the 
Isle  of  Palms  with  pine  timbers  hewn  from  spare 
spars ;  these  were  to  be  taken  out  and  stouter  tim 
bers  and  planking  put  in. 

While  Dr.  Greville  and  Princess  Morete,  with 
dear  old  Uncle  Joe, — who  officiated  as  head  nurse 
to  the  wounded  captain  and  doctor,  —  took  rooms 
adjoining  the  captain's,  Braybrook,  Morey  and  the 
other  officers  and  boatsteerers  choose  to  stick  by  the 
ship.  In  this  way  the  crew  were  kept  together 
during  repairs,  living  on  board  and  having  daily  lib 
erty  on  shore,  one  watch  at  a  time. 

Thus  the  ever-thoughtful  Braybrook  kept  a  gen 
eral  supervision  over  the  seamen,  as  well  as  a  sharp 
eye  upon  the  work  of  the  shipwrights.  This  per 
sonal  interest  saved  some  of  the  men  from  being- 
robbed  by  the  Jew  traders  ashore,  and  insured  better 
work  from  the  carpenters  and  calkers,  the  best  of 
whom  require  looking  after  in  a  foreign  port. 

Before  ending  we  ought,  perhaps,  to  substantiate 
Captain  Lawrence's  financial  ability  by  summing  up 
his  masterly  management  of  the  wrecked  treasure 
and  the  cargo  of  oil.  He  finally  succeeded  in  adding 
twenty-five  per  cent,  to  the  original  amount,  making 
the  sum  of  six  and  a  half  million  dollars.  This  sum 
was  subsequently  divided  among  the  crew  and  own 
ers.  All  those  belonging  to  the  ship  received  an 
amount  pro  rata,  according  to  their  "  lay."  Captain 
Lawrence's  fifteenth  lay  —  or  share  in  the  proceeds 


450  THK     ISLK    OF     I'ALMS. 

of  the  voyage  —  gave  him  the  neat  sum  of  four 
hundred  and  thirty  thousand  dollars,  while  Master 
Doughnut,  the  cabin-boy,  with  only  the  two  hun 
dredth  lay,  received  three  thousand  dollars,  which 
enabled  the  honest  youth  to  buy  and  furnish  a  pretty 
house  for  his  dear  old  mother  at  Sippican. 

It  was  nearly  three  weeks  after  the  Fleetw ing's 
arrival  at  Hong  Kong  before  Lawrence  was  able  to 
take  his  first  dinner  on  board  the  great  ship  of  the 
line.  The  noble  old  admiral  had  continued  very 
friendly  with  Lawrence,  and  took  this  occasion  to 
invite  aboard  a  large  gathering  of  shore  officials  and 
notable  friends.  Among  the  guests  was  the  gover 
nor,  who  deemed  it  an  appropriate  time  to  present 
the  reward  for  Ching  Alon^'s  head. 

O  O 

At  Captain  Lawrence's  request,  Mr.  Bailey  svas 
permitted  to  be  present  during  the  post-prandial 
ceremony. 

This  concession  from  the  admiral  led  the  officers 
of  the  flag-ship  to  extend  an  invitation  to  I>ray- 
brook  and  Morey  to  dine  in  the  ward-room,  so  that 
the  Fleetwing's  people  were  well  represented.  Dr. 
Greville  was  not  able  to  be  present,  as  he  would  not 
take  Morete,  though  there  was  intense  interest  to  see 
the  pretty  mermaid  princess  who  had  born  so  mirac 
ulously  rescued  from  her  insane  condition  by  her 
now  loving  husband.  Lady  Seymore  and  a  few 
other  notable  ladies  were  subsequently  permitted  to 
call  upon  the  happy  young  wife  at  her  rooms. 

The  great  ship  was  decorated  with  flags  and  sur- 


RECEPTION    OX    THE    FLAG-SHIP.  451 

rounded  with  hundreds  of  shore  craft  and  other  ship's 
boats.  The  authorities  arrived  off  in  due  time,  and 
at  gun-tire,  after  dinner,  the  presentation  took  place 
upon  the  poop-deck,  in  full  view  of  the  vast  congre 
gation  in  boats.  The  admiral  had  said  in  explanation 
at  table  that  the  governor  wished  to  make  the  most 
of  this  heroic  fight,  as  there  was  a  growing  inclina 
tion  to  shun  such  conflicts  with  the  larger  pirates, 
and  they  had  grown  over-bold  therefrom. 

Only  the  night  before  the  Fleetwing's  arrival  a 
large  merchant  spice  brig  had  been  attacked,  and 
returned  to  port  after  an  absence  of  forty-eight 
hours.  The  captain,  his  wife,  mate  and  third  mate 
and  all  the  English  crew  were  murdered,  and  sixty 
thousand  dollars  in  specie  were  stolen  from  the  brig's 
run.  Some  of  the  pirates  had  shipped  to  the  brig 
up  at  Wampoa  ;  others  boarded  in  boats  during  the 
mo-ht  while  the  brig  was  anchored  off  Taitoo  Island, 
waiting  the  turn  of  tide  to  go  on  her  way  to  the 
Banda  Sea. 

The  second  mate  of  the  brig  had  the  watch  on  deck 
when  the  pirate  crew  attacked:  he  jumped  over 
board,  swam  under  the  counter  and  climbed  into  the 
rudder-chains,  where  he  held  on  until  the  pirates 
found  the  specie  and  pulled  away  for  the  shore.  He 
then  climbed  into  one  of  the  cabin  windows,  and*  with 
the  aid  of  a  few  Malays,  whom  the  murderers  had 
spared,  worked  the  brig  back  on  the  return  tide  to 
the  anchorage  at  Hong  Kong. 

The  governor  made  an  appropriate  address  when 


452  THE    ISLE    OF   PALMS. 

he  presented  the  reward  to  Lawrence,  and  ended  by 
saying : 

"  Captain  Lawrence,  I  here  present  you  with  the 
government  reward  which  was  appropriated  for  the 
head  of  the  great  mandarin  pirate,  Ching  Along, 
the  most  daring  freebooter  ever  commanding  in 
these  seas,"  and  he  thereupon  handed  Lawrence  a 
leather  bag  of  gold. 

Admiral  Seymore  then  came  to  the  front  and  took 
the  matter  in  hand.  He  made  an  eloquent  tribute, 
drawing  attention  to  the  many  acts  of  personal 
bravery  shown  during  the  unequal  fight  on  board  the 
Fleetwing,  where  every  man  seemed  to  have  done 
some  valorous  deed  worthy  of  all  praise. 

"But,  ladies  and  gentlemen,"  continued  Sir 
Michael,  as  he  approached  the  blushing  captain,  "I 
wish  to  draw  especial  notice  to  the  unusual  heroism 
of  this  young  commander,  —  one  of  nature's  noble 
men,  —  who,  while  prostrate  and  faint  from  an  ugly 
wound,  lodged  twelve  minie  bullets  in  as  many 
pirate  hearts,  and  saved  the  day  of  battle  by  his 
personal  bravery. 

"  I  further  assert,  gentlemen,  that  few  of  us,  men 
of  war  as  we  are,  could  have  accomplished  such  pre 
cise  work  in  the  tussle  and  confusion  of  a  sea-fight. 
This  ^vound-stricken  man  must  have  thought  he  was 
in  the  final  *  death-swoon '  when  he  showed  such 
valor,  —  a  sickening,  deathly  prostration  that  usually 
deprives  a  man  of  the  last  vestige  of  courage. 

*'  And  now,  sir,  I  tender  you  the  personal  thanks  of 


PRESENTATION  SPEECHES.  453 

myself  and  the  officers  of  the  fleet,  with  this  souvenir." 
And  the  noble  descendant  of  the  royal  line  of  Sey- 
mores  put  a  costly  watch  and  chain  into  the  captain's 
hand.  "  It  is  the  best  that  the  country  affords,  else 
our  gift  would  have  been  more  worthy  of  your 
acceptance.  With  this  simple  token,  Captain,  we 
beg  you  to  accept  the  sincere  esteem  of  men  whose 
profession  makes  them  the  best  judges  of  the  difficult 
circumstances  under  which  you  have  won  your  title 
to  the  nobility  of  heroism  !  " 

A  burst  of  applause  rang  out  over  the  water,  and 
rolled  like  a  billow  from  ship  to  shore.  That,  with 
the  prolonged  cheers  which  came  welling  back  from 
the  housetops  and  the  wharves,  gave  Lawrence  the 
needed  moment  in  which  to  recover  from  his  pleas 
ant  surprise,  and  to  seize  upon  some  suitable  words 
of  response  to  the  kind  addresses  of  the  governor 
and  the  admiral.  With  his  heart  almost  too  full  for 
utterance,  he  replied  : 

"  Your  Excellency,  and  gentlemen  of  Hong  Kong, 
who  have  so  kindly  bestowed  this  reward  for  a  dead 
pirate,  and  my  gracious  host, — England's  greatest 
living  commander,  —  who  has  doubly  increased  the 
government  reward  by  this  sumptuous  occasion 
made  for  presenting  it,  and  to  her  Majesty's  officers, 
whose  gift  I  shall  treasure  to  my  latest  day,  to  one 
and  all  I  now  render  my  heartfelt  thanks. 

44  Now,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  let  me  crave  your 
attention  in  behalf  of  another,  —  the  real  hero  of  our 
pirate  fight.  Having  obtained  the  private  assurance 


•1">  I  mi;  ISLE  OF  PALMS. 

of  his  Excellency  and  the  noble  admiral  that  no 
offence  would  be  taken,  I  hereby  publicly  declare  in 
this  presence,  that  —  'Honor  should  be  bestowed 
where  honor  is  due  ! ' 

"  Therefore,  by  the  hand  that  was  saved,  I  here 
with  bestow  this  reward  into  the  hands  which  saved 
both  me  and  mine,  —  our  ship  and  our  lives  ! 

"  Gentlemen,  it  was  Uncle  Joe  Bailey  who  struck 
the  one  redeeming  blow  in  that  murderous  fray  ; 
the  noble  old  *  avenger  of  the  seas,'  the  man  who 
recently  killed  Mocha  Dick,  the  most  destructive 
sperm  whale  known  among  whalemen." 

At  the  close  of  Captain  Lawrence's  speech  Bray- 
brook  vainly  endeavored  to  force  Mr.  Bailey  forward 
to  receive  the  gift.  At  length,  when  the  old  man 
saw  that  the  captain  was  determined  that  he  should 
receive  the  reward,  he  reluctantly  went  forward  and 
took  it.  Advancing  with  his  white  head  bowed  on 
his  chest,  and  hot  tears  streaming  down  his  aged 
cheeks,  he  was  visibly  touched  by  this  new  kindness 
of  his  loved  young  captain,  and  when  he  recovered 
his  voice,  his  words  were  to  the  point. 

"  Weel,  Cap'n,  I  s'pose  I  mus'  tuk  dis  yere  gole 
'cause  yo'  wan  ter  hab  me.  Joe  Bailey  eber  lubs  ter 
do  yer  biddin'.  But,  sah,  all  de  gole  in  creaslmn 
can't  hire  dis  chile  ter  kill  'nother  yaller  nii^ar, 
'cept  dey  cum  'board  like  dem  \ civ  varmints  todder 
day.  Genlems,  I'ze  ar  Christi'n  niggar  ;  but  I  s'pose 
dis  chile  would  spade  de  ole  Eb'nezer  hisself,  ef  de 
debble  dar  raise  his  cheese-knife  ober  my  cap'n. 


UNCLE  JOE'S  ADDRESS.  455 

Leddies  an'  genlems,  dis  chile  duzn't  like  ter  kill 
eben  dose  yaller  sinners,  'cause  de  bressed  Lawd 
teld  us  in  de  gude  book,  <  Joe,  yo'  mus'n't  kill  yer 
brudder  man.' ': 

This  show  of  affection  for  his  young  commander 
affected  the  admiral  as  upon  a  former  occasion.  He 
had  often  expressed  his  admiration  for  Uncle  Joe's 
novel  manner  of  beheading  a  pirate.  When  the 
admiral  now  clapped  his  hands,  it  was  taken  as  a 
signal  for  all  to  applaud  the  speech  of  the  old  vet 
eran,  and  a  spontaneous  cheer  rang  out  over  the 
ship.  The  governor,  when  made  acquainted  with 
Joe  Bailey's  history,  came  forward  and  shook  him 
warmly  by  the  hand,  an  example  soon  followed  by 
many  other  distinguished  persons  on  board. 

Standing  throughout  the  ceremony,  together  with 
the  excitement  arising  out  of  such  an  occasion, 
caused  Captain  Lawrence  to  faint.  The  officers 
hastened  to  lay  him  in  Sir  Michael's  reclining  chair, 
which  was  wheeled  under  the  quarter-deck  awning 
for  the  purpose. 

After  quite  a  long  swoon  the  captain  was  rallied. 
The  deathly  pallor  which  still  lingered  on  his  manly 
face  continued  to  make  him  an  object  of  interest  to 
all.  Several  English  ladies  of  rank  were  especially 
attracted  by  the  sad  condition  of  the  young  Amer 
ican,  and  openly  expressed  their  admiration  of  his 
heroism,  and  showed  true  feminine  sympathy  for 
his  wounded  state. 

This  fortuitous  incident  was  the  source  of  many 


456  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

subsequent  invitations,  which  introduced  Lawrence 
into  some  of  the  highest  social  and  official  circles 
among  the  rather  exclusive  society  of  Victoria. 

The  acquaintance  of  one  noble  lady,  made  at  this 
time,  happily  influenced  Lawrence's  whole  after-life. 
While  he  courteously  received  the  vivacious  greet 
ings  of  all  the  fair  assemblage  of  ladies  in  his  usual 
quiet  manner,  it  was  remarked  that  when  Lady  Lucia 
Seymore  was  presented  by  the  grand  old  earl,  her 
father,  the  ghastly  pallor  went  out  of  Lawrence's 
face  so  suddenly  that  the  over-tasked  carotids  must 
have  done  some  lively  pumping. 

And,  strange  to  say,  there  were  those  present 
rude  enough  to  remark  that  the  charming  face  of  the 
ardent  young  girl  took  on  something  of  a  kindred 
hue,  though,  possibly,  it  was  only  a  momentary 
reflection  from  the  captain's  unusual  crimson  and 
bronze.  Lawrence's  mysterious  flush  was  quickly 
renewed,  a  moment  after,  when  the  jolly  old  admiral 
came  bustling  among  the  ladies  gathered  about  the 
captain's  couch,  calling  out  bruskly  : 

1 1  Where's  my  niece  ?  Who's  seen  Lady  Lucia  ?  — 
O  ho,  here  you  are.  So,  pretty  dear,  you  got  your 
papa  to  officiate  in  my  stead.  My  friends,  this 
young  lady  would  hardly  permit  me  to  see  the  gov 
ernor  and  party  off  before  I  came  to  introduce  her 
to  this  —  *  brave  young  captain,'  as  she  insists  upon 
calling  this  noble  American  citizen." 

''But,  uncle,  you  were  so  very  long  coming. 
And  pa  was  just  as  impatient  as  I  was.  Now, 


THE    BLUSHING    PAIR.  457 

weren't  you,  papa  ?  "  and  the  winsome  young  creature 
caught  the  old  carl  by  the  hand,  and  almost  induced 
England's  ambassador  to  tell  a  whopper,  to  help  out 
his  adorable  daughter. 

"  Yes,  yes,"  continued  Sir  Michael  in  tormenting 
mood,  "  but  I  have  eyes  to  see  that  this  pretty  minx 
has  already  stormed  the  fortress,  spiked  the  guns, 
and  taken  full  possession  of  the  enemy's  works, 
without  requiring  her  old  sailor-uncle  to  lift  tack  or 
sheet.  Ah,  Lucia,  to  think  that  I  should  ever  be 
left  in  a  '  lee-lurch '  in  this  manner  almost  breaks 
my  heart."  And  he  magnanimously  accepted  her 
one  little  hand  as  a  hostage,  and  ceased  his  untimely 
raillery,  for  the  good  reason  that  the  other  little 
hand  was  clapped  over  his  mouth,  and  completely 
"  barred  down  the  hatches." 

"  I  have  to  thank  Lady  Seymore  for  the  interest 
she  is  pleased  to  attest  in  my  affairs,"  said  Lawrence, 
gallantly  coming  to  the  blushing  Lucia's  relief. 
k<  Besides,  by  your  delay,  Admiral,  I  have  also  had 
the  honor  of  making  the  earl's  acquaintance." 

"Ah,  that  don't  go  for  much,  Captain,  Avhere 
there's  a  young  lady  of  this  pattern  in  the  case.  Ha, 
my  Lord  George?"  —  appealing  to  Lord  Seymore, 
who  laughed  heartily  at  the  old  sailor's  bantering. 

"I  believe  you  are  a  good  judge,  Seymore,  of 
wind,  weather,  and  the  ladies,  for  I  can  vouch  for 
your  having  been  flirting  with  the  whole  three 
elements  all  your  lifetime.  But,  Captain  Lawrence, 
to  be  serious  for  a  moment, — if  mv  brother  will 


458  THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 

permit,  —  I  am  truly  glad  that  my  sailing  was  de 
layed  a  few  weeks,  now  we  have  met  you. 

"  Sir  Michael  has  greatly  interested  us  by  his 
glowing  account  of  your  heroic  doings,  and  now  that 
I  have  seen  the  man,  I  can  the  more  readily  believe 
the  admiral's  eulogium.  Captain,  we  have  a  recep 
tion  at  the  embassy  two  weeks  from  to-night,  and 
sail  for  England  on  the  following  day.  It  will  be  an 
informal  affair,  and  the  only  occasion  to  continue  our 
acquaintance  I  may  have  to  offer,  as  I  am  going  back 
and  forth  to  and  from  Canton." 

"  As  a  further  incentive  to  your  coming,  Captain," 
interposed  Lady  Lucia,  "  perhaps  pa  will  give  you 
a  peep  at  Uncle  Seymore's  despatches  to  the  Lord 
High  Admiral  about  your  knightly  deeds."  Law 
rence  bowed  with  a  sense  of  supreme  satisfaction, 
while  the  beautiful  girl  exchanged  sly  looks  with  her 
uncle,  —  one  of  her  many  bewitching  ways  of  solicit 
ing  his  sanction. 

"Thanks,  my  lord,  for  this  kindness  to  a  stran 
ger.  If  I  find  myself  sufficiently  convalesced  at  the 
time  I  will  gladly  accept  your  invitation.  Lest  I 
may  not  be  in  condition  to  be  present  then,  I  will 
now  wish  you  and  Lady  Lucia  a  pleasant  homeward 
voyage,  with  less  trouble  in  leaving  port  than  I  had 
in  coming  in." 

Lawrence's  allusion  to  his  own  unpleasant  affair 
made  Lady  Lucia's  flushed  cheeks  blanch  to  marble 
paleness;  and  as  she  gave  the  captain  her  hand  at 
parting,  she  replied  with  a  delicious  tremor  in  her 


TELL-TALE    EYES.  459 

"Oh,  Captain,  if  we  should  meet  those  horrible 
creatures,  I'm  sure  we  should  wish  for  you  and  your 
black  Knight  of  Spades  to  '  repel  boarders, '  as 
Uncle  Seymore  tells  about." 

For  one  precious  moment,  while  thus  talking  and 
taking  leave  of  the  wounded  hero,  Lady  Lucia's  glo 
rious  blue-gray  orbs  dwelt  earnestly  upon  Lawrence's 
manly  face,  held  fast  by  his  own  tender  and  mag 
netic  gaze.  So  frequently  had  the  sympathetic  girl 
listened  to  the  admiral's  enthusiastic  story  of  the 
young  American's  heroism,  that  her  interest  had 
imperceptibly  changed  to  admiration,  until  love  had 
at  length  unconsciously  instilled  its  subtle  influence 
into  her  maiden  heart,  and  when  she  finally  met  the 
object  of  her  solicitude,  she  unwittingly  disclosed 
her  glowing  feelings  in  her  blushing  face  and  tell 
tale  eyes. 

As  we  have  seen,  Lawrence  was  amazed  and 
delighted  with  the  brightness  and  beauty  of  the 
high-born  girl.  And  no  wonder  that  the  warmth  of 
her  greeting,  —  while  expressing  compassion  for  his 
sull'erings,  —  and  the  ardent,  unquailing  tenderness 
of  her  eyes,  should  win  his  sailor  heart  in  a  twinkling. 
Thus  they  parted,  each  having  photographed 
upon  the  heart  of  the  other  an  indelible  image, 
nevermore  to  be  effaced.  A  picture  of  nobleness 
and  beauty  on  the  one  hand,  and  of  chivalrous  man- 
nood  on  the  other,  —  images  that  must  continue  to 
tattle  sweetly  of  the  absent  one  unto  the  remotest 
hour  of  existence. 


460 


THE    ISLE    OF    PALMS. 


Here  we  tuke  leave  of  the  noble  Fleetwing,  and 
her  sorely  tried,  but  fortunate  crew  and  commander; 
leave  them  until  some  future  time,  for  there  arc 
numerous  other  adventures  of  thrilling  interest  to 
commemorate  about  Captain  Lawrence's  homeward 
voyage  —  themes  of  sufficient  length  and  importance 
to  elaborate  by  themselves. 


FINIS. 


THE     FLEET  WIIVGr 


THE 

VOYAGE  OF  THE  FLEETWING. 

NEW    EDITION. 


By    UR.    C.    M.    1STEWELL. 

A  i2mo.    443  pages.    Price,  $1.50. 


Published  by  DeWolte,   Fiske   &   Co.,   Boston. 


OPINIONS  OF  THE   PRESS. 

A  thrilling  story,  which  deals  with  life  on  board  a  Xew  Bedford  whaler. 
Dr.  Newell's  "  foot  is  upon  his  native  heath  "  when  he  talks  about  whaling.  The 
nook  is  vivid  and  true  in  its  way  as  any  of  the  stories  of  Clark  Russell  or  J  [ernian 
Melville.  —  Boston  Transcript. 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  FI.EKTVVING  contains  some  of  the  best  whaling  stories  we 
have  seen,  trenching  upon  the  marvellous;  a  fair  amount  of  love-making,  and 
a  thrilling  wrecking  experience.  It  is  full  of  go  and  freshness,  and  ends  with 
a  wedding  quite  to  the  reader's  mind.  —Boston  Courier. 


We  all  like  books  of  the  sea,  and  here  is  a  good  one.     The  author  has  told  his 
story  in  a  very  agreeable  fashion.  — New  York  Herald. 


A  thrilling  romance  of  love  and  blubber,  and   richer  in  adventure  than  books 
for  youth  usually  are.  —  J^ctroit  Free  Press. 


The  Fleetwing  is  the  one  faithful  and  complete  narrative  of  whaling.  — Boston 
Globe.  

This  book  will  be  of  special  interest  to  boys.      The  descriptions  of  sea-life  are 
vivid  and  picturesque.  —  Toledo  Commercial. 


The  life  of  a  whaler  offers  good  material  for  a  boy's  story,  and  it  is  not  too  high 
praise  to  say  that  this  is  far  and  away  the  best  of  the  many  that  have  been 
written.  — Boston  Commercial  Bulletin. 


OPAV/OA.s   o/-'  '/'//A' 


From  a  literary  standpoint,  this  story  is  of  marked  excellence,  Whalin«  advei 
tares  and  wrecks  are  deftly  interwoven  with  a  charming  love  story.  There  is 
finish  and  smoothness  which  makes  every  chapter  fascinating.  It  is  one  of  th 
best  stones  of  life  at  sea  ever  published.  —  Chicago  Inter-Ocean. 

This  is  one  of  those  fresh,  original  stories  that  delight  the  hoys,  and  shows  th 
its  author  was  a  genuine  "  Old  Salt. "  —  New  York  Literary  News. 

We  cordially  recommend  this  book  for  the  library  of  boys.  It  is  full  of  health 
and  exciting  adventures  of  the  stirring  life  on  board  a  whaler.  It  is  of  value 
because  such  whaling  experiences  are  now  a  thing  of  the  past.  —  Omaha  /;,/// 
World. 

Dr.  Newell  is  a  very  pleasing  writer,  and  in  this  story  he  has  given  us  an  enter 
taining  series  of  sea  incidents  and  whaling  adventures.  — Hearth  and  J fall. 


Sea-stories  are  fascinating  to  boys,  who  arc  all  sailors  at  heart.  Here  is  a  ta! 
tilled  to  the  brim  with  sea-life  and  thrilling  adventures.  The  author  writes  briskl 
and  well,  and  no  boy  can  put  down  this  book  until  he  has  mastered  its  contents.  - 
A  ll>  any  Argus. 

This  story  contains  a  thrilling  account  of  whaling,  ami  the  rescue  of  Mr.  Law 
rence  and  his  daughter  Nellie  from  the  wreck.  —  Philadelphia  Enquirer. 

The  style  of  this  book  reminds  us  of  Herman  Melville.     Young  people  have 
special  fondness  for  such  a  narrative  of  sea-life  and  shipwreck  as  the   MeeUving 
Its  descriptions  are  faithful  to  the  life,  the  toils  and  perils  of  whaling,  and  it  con 
tains  much  information.  —  Cincinnati  Christian  Advocate. 

This  is  a  capital  story,  and  the  whaling  scenes  are  not  overdrawn.  — 
Chronicle. 


The  author's  previous  works  have  made  him  known  as  a  fascinating  \\riter 
This  volume  is  an  exciting  narrative  cf  whaling,  devoid  of  everything  offensive 
and  cannot  fail  to  please  and  instruct  the  young.  —  Chica-o  Interior. 

The  author  of  the  Fleetwing  is  the  most  graceful  and  considerate'  writer  of  hi; 
class,  and  he  has  written  nothing  more  entertaining  than  this  story  of  sailor-lo\i 
and  sailor-hardships.  —  Rochester  Herald. 


\  sea-story  of  the  old-fashioned  kind,  \\ith  no  end  of  nautical  lore  and  in 
formation  in  regard  to  sperm  whales.  —  />////<//<>  ( \nirier. 

This  is  one  of  the  popular  books  that  cannot  fail  to  attract  all  classes  of  readers, 
While  the  story  is  sensational,  it  is  of  a  high  order  of  literary  merit.  —  Ohio  Matt 
Journal. 


OPINIONS  OF  THE  PRESS. 

This  volume  thrills  in  every  page,  and  no  doubt  that  the  boys  will  like  it.  — 
Rochester  Union. 

The  adventures  of  whaling  are  stirring,  and  the  methods  of  whaling  are  well 
exhibited.  —Philadelphia  Bulletin. 


A  typical  sea-story  that  cannot  fail  to  instruct  and  delight  the  boys.  —  Albany 
Sunday  Express. 


The  second  book  in  the  series,  just  published,  is  called 

THE    ISLE   OF    PALMS, 

Adventures  while  Wrecking  for  Gold,  Encounter  with  a  Mad  Whale, 
Battle  with  a  Devil-Fish,  and  Capture  of  a  Mermaid. 

THE  ISLE  OF  PALMS  is  even  more  to  a  boy's  liking  than  the  Fleet- 
wing.  It  is  the  only  story  which  describes,  and  illustrates  by  a  fine 
engraving,  a  genuine  battle  with  the  monstrous  Octopus;  a  sea-beast 
large  enough  to  nearly  wreck  the  ship. 

But  that  which  will  most  delight  the  juveniles  of  all  ages  is  the 
numerous  interviews  with  and  final  pursuits  and  capture  of  the  most 
beautiful  and  veritable  Mermaid  known  in  wonderland. 


DKWOLFE,  FISKE  &  co., 

365   Washington   Street. 

BOSTON. 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

LOAN  DEPT. 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below,  or 

on  the  date  to  which  renewed. 
Renewed  books  are  subject  to  immediate  recall. 


FEB  2     N966 


INTER-L! 


MAY  2  5  1977 


LD  21A-60m-10,'65 
(F7763slO)476B 


M204176 


THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


